


Hidden Dragon

by Ladyjay1616



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: AU, Aged-Up Character(s), Akko is awkward as always, Akko is stronk :3, Alternate Universe - College/University?, Amanda is a smartass, Bodyguard/martial arts AU?, Cough...ANGST, Diana is gay af obvs. Akko is bi., Diana isn't actually clueless in this just in a tough position, F/F, Fluff galore (more like GAYlore haha), Humor, Hurt/Comfort, I promise there's a happy ending, Idk I just got inspired to write something new, Internalized Homophobia, Lots of akward flirting, Martial arts is something I'm pretty passionate about, On Hiatus, Self-Insert, Sexual tension/frustration, Some bad language, Violence beacuse... MMA, probably, probably not what you're expecting, side hamanda, there might be smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:21:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24714505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladyjay1616/pseuds/Ladyjay1616
Summary: Akko is the President of the Martial Arts Club at Luna Nova University and is motivated to win the Summer MMA Championship. The last thing she ever expected was to become the bodyguard of Diana Cavendish, soon to be CEO of Cavendish Medical, but decides it would be a good opportunity as it pays well and gives her valuable experience. She tries to take her job as Diana's "protector" seriously, but how can she maintain a serious, professional relationship with the woman she soon falls in love with?
Relationships: Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, Hannah England/Amanda O'Neill, Ursula Callistis | Chariot du Nord/Croix Meridies
Comments: 65
Kudos: 273





	1. Misfortune

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! This is my second fic and surprisingly, the idea didn't come to me during a dream. Yes yes, I am the author of the awoo fic- I mean The Moon and Her Curse. Sorry to disappoint, but there are no werewolves in this fic. This is a non-magical AU. I'm passionate about Martial Arts since I'm a 2nd degree black belt in Taekwondo myself, so why not write a fic about something I'm passionate about? Also, I just had to take the opportunity to name this fic "Hidden Dragon" cuz of the famous saying "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". Welp anyways, I hope you enjoy! Idk how long this will be or when it'll update, but I'll try my best.

Akko could see the irritation in Sucy's light red eyes.

Sparring time was always rough, _especially_ when Akko went up against Sucy; even if Sucy was at the same level as her. Though the Martial Arts Club's motto was: _"Be Humble, Gentle, and Strong"_ , Sucy never seemed to abide by the _"gentle"_ part of it whenever she sparred with Akko, or anyone really. To be fair, Akko was by no means humble in most situations involving competition either, she just wished Sucy would hold back a little. She never wanted Sucy to go _easy_ on her, that would wound her pride; she just wanted her to be a bit more gentle with her kicks and punches.

Taking a sharp intake of breath, Akko lifted her left leg slightly off of the ground and faked a kick. She then swiftly switched legs and hit Sucy's helmet with a back spinning kick. Five points. She was surprised her foot even made contact with Sucy's helmet since Sucy usually was quick and would block the kick or just quickly move out of the way.

"Nice kick, Akko!" the voice of their Master boomed from across the room. "Be sure to remain alert, Sucy!"

"Thank you, Croix Sensei!" Akko grinned at her Master, but by looking away from her opponent, Sucy managed to hit a blow to Akko's chest. Akko was momentarily stunned from the impact.

Their instructor, Ursula, winced. "And remember to keep your eye on your opponent, Akko! You should know that! And don't lose focus; you're a minute away from winning or losing this round!"

Akko glanced at the timer on the wall which confirmed she had fifty eight seconds and counting. She had to be smart. If her calculations were correct, which in this case they typically were, her and Sucy were tied. One more hit, kick, or anything to Sucy would be the winning strike. That also applied to Sucy. Akko tried to kick Sucy's chest piece, but Sucy saw it coming and was faster. She avoided the kick and punched Akko's chest piece in response. She gained a point. 

Akko had thirty seconds. She didn't want to lose to Sucy again this week, so she decided to try something new. She smirked and stomped the ground, bluffing a kick and yelled, startling Sucy. She saw an opening and with a sliding roundhouse kick, she got Sucy right in the center of her chest.

"Finish!" Croix shouted and the two immediately stopped and stood still.

Akko looked at Sucy and grinned. "Good match!"

Sucy rolled her eyes, a ghost of a smile appearing on her face. "Whatever." 

"Akko has won this match," Ursula smiled proudly.

"But by how much?" Akko asked.

"A-a point, but that's still a win," Ursula responded encouragingly.

Akko sighed and wiped the sweat from her brow. "Yeah, I guess."

"Be glad that you won _this_ time, Akko," Sucy snickered. "You know I'll get you next time. I was just tired today."

Akko flipped her off. Sucy crossed her arms and once again rolled her eyes in response.

"Miss. Kagari, do not taint your victory," Croix snapped. "Now bow to each other."

The two bowed respectfully before sitting down next to their friend and roommate Lotte. Lotte quietly congratulated Akko and commented on Sucy's technique during the match. Akko let the two whisper to each other and she placed her focus of Croix. Croix walked around the room, gently sweeping something off of the mat with her foot. Ursula was close behind.

"Alright everyone, that was the final match of the day. It's time to cool down. You may have a partner if you wish," Croix announced. "After cool downs, we're done for today. Be sure to hydrate. If you don't have water, come see Instructor Ursula."

"Akko, do you have anything to say?" Ursula asked.

Akko was the president of the Martial Arts club. Well, the _new_ President. The previous President graduated and moved to Canada last semester, leaving Akko who was the Vice President at the time to take over. Although Akko wouldn't normally take place in a high leadership position, she was more than thrilled to take the previous President's place. Croix had no problem with it either, seeing how Akko was one of the most dedicated and passionate members of the club.

Akko thought for a moment. "Nothing much. Just... everybody rest up and remember that we have early morning practice on Saturday. And good job today too. We all worked hard today and I'm glad to see how everyone's improving."

Croix and Ursula nodded in approval at Akko's statement before walking to another section of the dojo to discuss something privately. That was the queue for the students to do their cool down stretches.

Everyone got up and began stretching. Most had partners, however Akko did not. She never really liked having a partner when warming up or cooling down. She felt that warm ups and cool downs was the time to reflect or consider what she did or what she could have done better during the session. 

Everyone left shortly after cool downs, but Akko remained in the dojo. Since she was the president, it was her responsibility to sweep the floors and lock up after every meet up. She didn't mind. Besides, keeping the dojo clean, _her_ dojo, wasn't something she would fuss over.

"Akko, may I speak to you for a moment?" Croix spoke from her office.

"Coming, Sensei!" Akko chimed, leaning the broom up against the wall.

She walked into Croix's office and closed the door upon entering. Ursula wasn't there surprisingly; Akko assumed she had already went home. Croix pointed at one of the seats for Akko to sit down in. Akko bowed her head and sat in one of the comfy black chairs.

"Akko-"

"Don't worry, Croix Sensei, I cleaned the mirrors this time," Akko cut her off.

"I... that's not what I was going to talk to you about, but thank you," Croix smiled slightly. "I was _going_ to talk to you about your grades."

Akko frowned. She wasn't expecting Croix to mention _that,_ but it didn't surprise her. Croix was also her mathematics and robotics professor after all. Akko didn't have the best grades even if she tried her hardest.

"Oh," Akko murmured.

"It was brought to my attention that you are failing a course and getting low grades in several others. You know the rules, Akko. You aren't allowed to participate in club activities if your grade point average isn't at least a 2.3," Croix explained. "Currently you're at a 1.9."

Akko gulped. She knew exactly where this conversation was going and she could already feel the tears form in the corner of her eyes. She wouldn't cry. She couldn't.

"I-I promise I'll bring my grades up, Sensei," Akko said hoarsely.

Croix nodded and her expression turned into a pained one. "I'm confident you will. However as I oversee this club and I must follow the school rules, I'm... I'm sorry to inform you that you are on suspension from any club activities for the time being until you can bring your g.p.a up to at least a 2.3."

"A-are you joking?" Akko choked, tears now falling.

Croix sighed. "I'm afraid not, Miss. Kagari. I really am sorry, but I can't turn a blind eye to this. Your grades are most important and come first."

"What am I supposed to do for practice? Am I not allowed in the dojo anymore? Am I not allowed to practice here until I get my grades up?" Akko asked quickly.

"You are fortunately allowed to use this space to practice, but not when we meet. You will have to come early in the mornings if you wish to use this space to practice and stay in shape," Croix said to give Akko some hope and motivation.

Akko's downcast expression didn't alter. She simply nodded sadly at Croix's words.

Croix frowned. "Please don't take this too personally, Akko. This is for your own good. And you won't be gone forever. You can resume leading the club once you repair your grades. How long that takes is up to you."

"Who's gonna take my place in the mean time?" Akko asked bitterly.

"Miss. Yanson will temporarily take your place," Croix said calmly. "That is if she accepts the position."

Akko was surprised. She completely expected Croix to say Sucy was going to be taking her place. It's not that Akko had an issue with Sucy; the two were rather close in fact, not just because they were roommates. It's just that Sucy was her... _competitor_ in many ways at the Martial Arts Club. She wouldn't even be surprised if Amanda was chosen. Amanda was a couple belts lower than Akko in taekwondo, but she made up for it since she also practiced kick boxing. She was the Club's Vice President as well, so naturally Akko thought she would be another person who could take over.

"Not Sucy or Amanda?" Akko asked.

"As talented as Miss. Manbavaran is, her social skills aren't exactly... strong enough to run this club. As for Amanda, she's quite the opposite. Her social skills are some of the best I've seen, but her leadership and discipline could still use some work and she's quite cocky to be frank. Even though she's the Vice President, I don't think it's wise to let her take charge at the moment. After all, her grades aren't the greatest right now either. Now Lotte may be a shy and quiet individual, but I know she has a kind heart for others and she's an excellent leader," Croix smiled.

That much was true. Sucy in all honesty didn't like people or crowds in general all that much. The only reason why she joined the club in the first place was to continue her training and fill her sports credits. It was also the smallest club on campus with only thirty four members.

Croix was right about Amanda too. Amanda mainly joined the club because Akko was her best friend. She wanted to be involved and was the first to step up to become Vice President. However, she wasn't good when it came to leadership. That's partially why she became the Vice President of the club since her position didn't require many responsibilities.

Akko sighed with relief upon hearing that. She was glad Croix chose Lotte to take her place over anyone else. Lotte and her were fairly close friends and she was definitely trust worthy. Even if Lotte was a level lower than Akko and several other students, her leadership skills would make up for it.

"Okay then," Akko nodded. "I'm... I'm really sorry about this, Professor Croix. I promise you I'll bring my grades up."

"I do hope you mean that," Croix sighed. "Don't forget we have plenty of wonderful tutors on campus available to you, Akko. It's always okay to ask for help if you need it."

Akko scrunched her nose in irritation. She didn't want a tutor. In her mind, that told her she wasn't smart enough to get high grades on her _own_. That she wasn't good enough. However at this point, perhaps having a tutor wouldn't be a horrible option. After all, she wanted this suspension to end as soon as possible. As long as she got her grades up, she could resume as the President and life will go on like it did.

"I'll consider it I guess," Akko replied.

"Thank you," Croix smiled. "And don't worry, you're still the Martial Arts Club President. That much hasn't changed. And as far as the rest of the members know, you're on temporary leave to focus on your grades considering finals are a month away. Many of the other members may end up doing the same."

"I'll be sure to get my grades up before winter break. I'm not gonna miss the winter tournament this year," Akko grumbled.

"And I expect nothing less from you. You did outstanding in the tournament last year and I'm certain you'll do even better this year," Croix said encouragingly. "You're free to go now."

Akko got up and bowed. "Thank you, Croix Sensei."

* * *

Akko kicked some stray pebbles beneath her feet as she started to walk back to her dorm. It was a bitterly cold evening and her gei didn't provide much warmth. The cold was perhaps the last thing that was bothering her at the moment since her mind was buzzing with thoughts. She knew her grades were slipping, but she never realized they had gotten so bad that she needed to be _suspended_ from club activities. That's never happened to her before and it angered her that it was happening now.

It wasn't like she couldn't help it. Her courses were significantly more difficult this year than they were last year. Her freshman year was actually quite easy, especially compared to this year. She joined the club because her grades were good and because she wanted to continue her journey in Taekwondo. The Luna Nova Martial Arts Club would never replace Red Dragon Academy back in her homeland in Japan where she grew up though.

Her other secret reason for joining was because Chariot Du Nord, arguably one of the greatest female martial artists in history attended that school and founded the Martial Arts Club. Akko simply wanted to contribute to what her role-model left behind and help the club grow stronger. Well, she couldn't do that if she was suspended.

As she was approaching the dorms, she heard two voices that seemed to be arguing. Akko wasn't a nosy person by any means, at least not when it came to strangers. However, something probed her to slow down and listen in. She could see the two from a distance. A woman with tea-green blonde hair who was leaning on an oak tree, and a man who was a bit taller than her who's arm was place on the tree right next to her head.

"I already told you, I'm not interested. Now leave before I report you," the woman warned.

Her voice sounded eerily familiar to Akko. She couldn't put her finger on it. Perhaps she had a class with her?

"Come on, Diana, d-don't be a bitch," the male voice slurred, slowly grazing his hand across the woman's face.

Akko recognized his voice. Louis Blackwell, a snobby rich senior who likely bought his way into Luna Nova University. The only reason Akko knew of him was because she heard rumors on how he was kicked out of the Martial Arts Club a year before she attended Luna Nova University for assaulting one of the female students. He also probably bought his way out of a law suit and expulsion.

"She gave you her answer, now leave her alone," Akko spoke up, walking closer to them.

The two turned to face her. Akko's crimson eyes met the woman's crystal blue ones and that's when she recognized her. Diana Cavendish. She didn't know her very well, but they did indeed share a couple of classes with each other. Chemistry and Biology as a matter of fact. She knew of Diana only because of her last name. Diana was the heir to the Cavendish Medical Association and was going to take over as CEO once she finished college. It made sense that she knew Louis since both the Blackwell and Cavendish family were extremely wealthy.

"Akko?" Diana spoke in shock.

 _'Wow, she remembered my name,'_ Akko thought to herself.

"G-get lost, shorty. This isn't your business," Louis growled and Akko could smell the alcohol even from where she was at.

"I'm not going to tell you again," Akko warned, getting into a defensive stance. "Leave her alone."

Louis looked her up and down, noticing her gei. He then howled with laughter.

"Part of that stupid-ass Martial Arts Club are you, little girl?" he laughed.

"I am, and I _won't_ hesitate to kick your ass if you don't leave her alone," Akko warned again.

Louis then noticed Akko's black belt. He knew himself that even if he was a good eight inches taller than Akko, he wouldn't try to challenge a black belt. Height and weight held nothing against skill, experience, and speed. He wasn't the smartest of individuals, but he certainly wasn't _stupid._

"Whatever. This slut isn't worth it anyway," he grumbled.

Grabbing a flask from his back pocket, he took a quick swig of whatever contents where within and left the two girls in silence. Akko looked at Diana who still seemed to be shocked to even see her. The light from the street lamp lit up Diana's face and for the first time, Akko noticed how truly beautiful she was. Akko considered herself to be straight, but something about Diana made her heart... _flutter._ Flutter like it would whenever she saw a cute guy.

She pushed those pesky questioning thoughts to the side.

"Are you okay?" she asked Diana.

"I'm fine," Diana responded softly. "I appreciate you stepping in, although I had the situation under control."

Akko scoffed. "Oh really? He looked like he was gonna eat you up!"

Diana raised a brow at her. " _That_ and a couple other things were probably on his mind, actually."

Akko swallowed hard, realizing the unintentional double meaning. Changing the subject was a good route to take. "So uh, you're a sophomore like me right?"

"Yes I am. I have you for two of my classes. You sit a couple rows behind me," she pointed out.

She was observant. Akko didn't know where she sat in class half of the time.

"Uh, yeah," Akko chuckled nervously. "Um, do you want me to walk you back to your dorm?"

Diana smiled at the offer but gently shook her head. "I don't actually live here. I live at my estate a few miles away from here, so I'll just drive home."

"Oh," Akko muttered, messing with the tip of her black belt.

Diana could see the slight disappointment in Akko's eyes.

"I-I'd like to thank you properly for um... _saving_ me. Would you care to join me for tea tomorrow morning?" Diana offered.

An offer like that would depend on what time of morning. On a Friday, Akko never woke up earlier than ten since she had afternoon classes. In this case, she didn't care if it was ten or five in the morning. She wasn't gonna turn down an offer like _this._

"O-of course!" Akko stuttered. "Name the time and place!"

Diana blushed at Akko's forwardness. "Well, if you meet me here tomorrow morning around eight, I'll drive you to a lovely café  in town. Sound alright?"

Akko nodded quickly. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

Diana grinned and nodded slowly.

"Great! See you at eight!" Akko returned her smile, and walked away back towards her dorm.

 _"Thank you,"_ Diana whispered, but Akko was already too far away to hear her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Atsuko Kagari. | Age: 19 | Height: 5'3" | Nationality: Japanese | Martial art(s): Taekwondo, 2nd degree black belt


	2. Inner turmoil

Akko sluggishly entered her dorm, noticing Sucy and Amanda sitting on the couch. Amanda technically didn't live in their dorm, but she was found there quite often. Akko, Sucy, and Lotte basically accepted her as their honorary fourth dorm member. Amanda did have her own dorm and was actually really good friends with her two roommates Jasminka and Constanze, but those two were always busy. Jasminka was typically spending time with relatives and Constanze was always working on her mechanical projects. So whenever Amanda was bored, she'd find herself at Akko's dorm.

Akko noticed that Amanda brought her Play Station 3 and a bag of Jasminka's special Russian potato chips. Akko snagged a couple chips before plopping down on the bean bag chair next to the couch. She untied her black belt and tossed it to the side of the room before closing her eyes and releasing a long sigh she had been holding in for far too long.

"Rough day, young grasshopper?" Amanda imitated an old mans voice, briefly glancing over at her friend.

Akko could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, remembering the painful words Croix told her earlier. She wouldn't cry in front of her friends. She rarely cried and when she did, it wasn't usually in front of other people. The nickname Amanda gave her made her smile a little bit, but it didn't brighten her mood.

"Something like that," Akko grumbled tiredly.

"How was practice today?" Amanda asked, pausing the game when Sucy got up to go to her room to get something.

Akko glared at her. "Oh, you mean the one that you missed? For the _third_ time this week?"

The red head raised her hands up in defense. "You got me there. I was... busy."

"Tsk, busy? Doing what?" Akko challenged.

"Ha... more like doing _who_ ," Amanda smirked.

"What's that supposed to-" Akko paused, her face turning bright red once she realized what Amanda meant.

"Now you get it," Amanda snorted, her smirk growing wider.

"I... that... do you _really_ have to miss practice for one of your dumb conquests?" Akko hissed.

"I'm afraid so," Amanda shrugged. "And hey, don't call them conquests. I see them more as... part-time lovers."

"That sounds a whole lot like a hooker if you ask me," Akko grumbled, trying to get comfortable on the chair.

"A hooker doesn't buy you dinner," Amanda pointed out with a grin.

"And a hooker doesn't get their heart broken the next day once you cut them off," Akko spat harshly.

Amanda cringed. "Ouch, dude. That hurt. And plus, I haven't had _that_ many partners. Maybe like... thirteen?"

"Yeah, thirteen reasons why _not_ to date you," Akko snickered.

"Haha," Amanda laughed sarcastically.

"I swear your gonna get an STD," Akko muttered.

"Nah, considering I only mess around with curious, virgin, straight girls, I doubt it," Amanda explained, placing her hands behind her head and relaxing into the couch. "At least I hope they're virgins... You know, you should try it one of these days, Akko. Maybe you'll loosen up a little."

Akko blushed again, the mysterious blonde she officially met earlier entering her thoughts. She imagined those breath taking blue eyes that she could drown in easily and her luscious, unique tea-green blonde hair. What an odd coincidence that Diana entered her mind at a time like that. She decided to merely chalk it up as that. Coincidence. Whoever was writing Akko's fate, she cursed them.

"Ew, no! I'm straight!" she exclaimed.

Amanda raised a brow at her. "Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, honey."

Akko crossed her eyes. "Hmph, even if I _was_ into girls, I wouldn't sleep around like you."

"I enjoy a little fun once in a while," Amanda sighed contentedly. "Our definitions of fun are a bit different, but I still think you should get laid one of these days. By a guy or a girl. Offers always out there if you wanna try something with-"

"Absolutely not," Akko chuckled, interrupting her. "Again, I'm straight. Thanks for the offer though, I guess."

Amanda smirked at her. "Dude, we can still do it if we wear socks. It's not gay if we both wear socks. Plus, you're my best friend. Best friends at least _think_ about fucking each other."

"Speak for yourself," Lotte mumbled, entering the room. "Sucy's my best friend and I love her, but I've never thought about doing _that_ with her."

"You haven't?" Sucy called out teasingly from the other room.

"Of course not!" Lotte yelled back.

"Interesting. Maybe I should check your diary and see who you _really_ feel that way about," Sucy cackled.

Lotte's eyes went wide and her face turned bright red.

"Sucy, don't you dare! That's private for a reason!" she shrieked, running back towards her room.

Akko and Amanda watched her run away in a hurry and then looked back at each other giggling.

"Changing the subject," Amanda spoke up. "Tell me what I missed today at practice. I'll be sure to make it on Saturday."

Akko rubbed her neck awkwardly. "Well, I won a sparring match against Sucy."

"Oh, right on dude!" Amanda congratulated her.

"And..." Akko paused.

She wasn't sure she should tell Amanda about being suspended from the club. Amanda was the type of person to tease her relentlessly about it and that was the last thing she wanted or needed at the moment. On the other hand, Amanda was going to find out soon anyway, so Akko decided the best option was to just tell her up front. To get it over with.

"...I got suspended from club activities." Akko finished her sentence.

Amanda blinked at her. "Holy shit, Akko. What did you do? You didn't get into an actual fight with someone did you?"

"No, of course not," Akko shook her head. "I just... my grades. I got suspended because of my grades."

"Aw man," Amanda cringed. "That sucks."

"I know," Akko sighed.

"Am I gonna be taking over?" Amanda asked uneasily.

"Nah, Croix Sensei is making Lotte take over while I'm out," Akko explained.

"Ah. Welp, I'm real sorry that happened, Akko," Amanda said sincerely.

That was surprising. Akko completely expected Amanda to tease her or make some snarky comment. She was glad she didn't. Maybe Amanda could see how hurt Akko was by this and didn't want to make her feel worse.

"Thanks," Akko sighed again. "Well, at least one good thing happened today."

Amanda smiled lightly. "Yeah? Lay it on me."

"You know Louis Blackwell, right?" Akko asked.

Amanda thought to herself. The only reason why she knew of him was because she got into a bar fight with him a couple months back. No one knew about it and neither got hurt, but she did develop a strong hatred for him. She still had a bone to pick with him because the fight got interrupted by the police and they were forced to cease from fighting, so there was no winner or loser declared. With that said, Amanda also knew she wouldn't try and pick a fight with him. Unless he started it to which she would surely finish it, she wouldn't go looking for trouble. Amanda had learned the hard way in life that trouble would often look for her in most cases, so she didn't need to go out of her way looking for it.

"Rich prick senior who's the son of a politician?" Amanda asked.

"Yep, that's the guy," Akko nodded. "He was harassing a girl and I intervened. Thankfully a fight didn't break out, but I'm glad I got there when I did. She was super nice and I'm getting tea with her tomorrow morning."

Amanda snorted. "Sounds kinda gay, not gonna lie."

"It's not gay, I was just getting her out of a tough situation," Akko said, a blush appearing on her face for some reason. "You of all people should know, _Miss. Vice President._ We're supposed to use our martial arts skills to protect ourselves and those who can't protect themselves."

"Hm, fair point," Amanda hummed. "So the girl. Do you know her?"

Akko shook her head. "No, not really. I mean, I have a couple classes with her. I was kinda hoping you could tell me if you knew anything about her considering you know just about everyone."

Amanda was one of the star female athletes at Luna Nova. Almost everyone on campus knew her personally or knew of her. She even had as Akko called it, a "fan club" who attended all of her lacrosse games and MMA competitions. She definitely would be considered popular, but in her case it was unusual since she didn't come from a wealthy or famous background.

"I probably know her," Amanda smiled. "What's her name?"

"Her name's Diana Cavendish."

Amanda burst into laughter. "You saved _Diana Cavendish,_ the richest student on campus, from an asshole straight guy... and now she wants to take you out for tea? Man, this sounds like a lesbian love story!"

"Stop making everything gay! Kuso!" Akko said loudly.

"Think about it, Akko," Amanda calmed her laughter down. "You come swooping in like a knight in shining armor and save Diana, the damsel in distress, from the bad guy. Not to mention she's gay as fuck which I'm sure you didn't know. She was probably swooning so hard for you too."

Akko opened her mouth, but quickly closed it. Amanda was pretty spot on with that. Well, she wasn't sure about the "Diana being gay" part, but she could have sworn she saw Diana blushing when they were talking to each other, so maybe that wasn't so far fetched. And the fact that Diana asked Akko out for tea kind of proved Amanda's point. Though maybe Diana was just showing her gratitude like she told her. There didn't have to be anything romantic about going out for a cup of tea and getting to know someone.

"I-I don't know about that, Amanda," Akko murmured.

"Anyway, you wanted info on her?" Amanda asked.

Akko nodded.

"Well to be honest, I don't know too much about her. I know she's the heir to Cavendish Medical and she's got a huge stick up her ass, but that's just based on what I've heard and seen. Actually, I don't think she likes me too much. She gives me the stink eye whenever I see her," Amanda explained. "Oh, I _do_ know she has two guard dogs who are almost as rich and stuck up as she is, Hannah England and Barbara Parker. Those two follow her around like helpless puppies and seriously kiss her ass. Gotta admit though, Hannah is pretty damn hot. I'd probably even try and hit on her if she wasn't always glued to Diana and Barbara. I wouldn't be surprised if the three were dating. Actually... maybe not. Barbara and Hannah do seem pretty straight to me. But Diana? She's totally a lesbian."

Based on what Akko saw, Diana wasn't stuck up at all. Introverted and mysterious maybe, but definitely not stuck up. She wasn't sure about Hannah or Barbara. She didn't even know those two existed.

Akko scrunched her nose in response. "How do you know she's a lesbian? You just said you don't know her too well."

"Eh, I don't," Amanda shrugged and a cocky expression made its way to her face. "My gaydar just really goes off when I see her. Just like it does whenever I see you."

"Very funny," Akko rolled her eyes and got up.

"Wait, where are you going? I didn't offend you, did I?" Amanda asked with slight concern.

Akko faked a yawn. "Nah, you didn't. I'm just tired. I had a long and pretty disappointing day. I'm gonna take a shower and go to bed."

"You sure you don't wanna stay up a little bit with me and Sucy? We're playing Super Smash bros and you can watch me kick her butt. Speaking of, Sucy where'd you go?" Amanda shouted.

"I'll be out in a minute! I'm getting results from an experiment right now!" Sucy shouted back.

"I'm sure," Akko confirmed. "I have to get up early tomorrow to meet Diana anyway."

"Goodnight then, Akko. I'll probably head back to my dorm in a little while. Oh, and have fun on your little _date_ with Diana tomorrow,~" Amanda winked at her.

Akko shook her head and didn't respond to her. The bathroom was empty, so she grabbed a fresh towel and placed it on the sink before locking herself in. She stepped out of her uniform and placed it next to her towel. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and softly touched a bruise forming under her left breast. The chest armor used for sparring helped take the impact of a kick or punch, but sometimes bruises were unavoidable. And in Akko's case, she bruised easily. Sucy did pack a powerful kick and punch, but even when she sparred against someone as gentle as Lotte, a bruise always made its way somewhere on her body.

She let down her dark brown hair which was tied up in a high pony tail and placed her red hair tie on her wrist. She then turned on the water and braced herself for the icy water pellets. Luna Nova's water heating system was terrible, so hot water was rare and only the lucky students had a dorm with some heated water.

She let the water flow across her back first and slowly got used to the cold. Luckily for her, she was used to cold showers even before she attended Luna Nova. Her parents house didn't have a water heating system at all, so cold showers were something she had grown used to her entire life. Still, she never got used to the initial feeling of the cold water hitting her skin, but she grew to enjoy it once she was there for a couple minutes.

As she was lathering up her body with soap, her mind wandered off to possible outcomes of what tomorrow could bring her. She was intrigued by the blonde, she couldn't deny that. She would never admit this to anyone, not even herself, but she was honestly _attracted_ to Diana, which was absolutely alien to her. How could she not be? Diana was the most beautiful girl, _person_ , she'd ever met. Everything about her was beautiful. Her eyes, her creamy skin, her wavy tea-green blonde hair, _her light pink lips which would fit perfectly on-_

"No," Akko scolded herself, her heart beating a thousand miles per hour. "I... you just think she's pretty. Nothing more. You hardly even know her."

In actuality, it _was_ something more, she just didn't know it yet or rather, she wouldn't accept it as a possibility. Akko was an accepting and non judgmental person when it came to other's gender identity and sexuality aside from her own. She was raised to hate anything or anyone who wasn't straight or anyone who didn't identify as their assigned gender. Although she learned to accept it and even defended those who were like that, she could never admit to herself that she was anything other than how she was raised. And she was raised to like boys and someday become some man's wife.

At times, she knew deep in her heart that maybe that wasn't a road she'd travel down and she may find herself falling for a girl instead, but her guilt and shame quickly shut those feelings away. Any questioning thoughts she had would always be pushed to the side. But when she thought of Diana, well, those questioning thoughts were becoming a bit stronger and louder than the ones that usually shut them up.

Perhaps seeing Diana tomorrow wasn't such a good idea after all. However, Akko was true to her word and she wasn't going to back out of it now. Besides, it was just tea and possibly even breakfast. After that, Akko probably wouldn't talk to her again. Maybe that would be for the best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amanda O'Neill | 20 | 5'9" | American | Martial art(s): Taekwondo, Junior Black belt; Kick Boxing, brown belt


	3. An opportunity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note: Yes, even though I'm an American writer, I am going to use the metric system which means I'm going to use Celsius. It just sounds better considering the story takes place in the UK and pretty much the whole world uses the metric system anyway. (But the U.S is extra~)  
> So for all my American readers who don't know what 28 degrees Celsius is, it's 83 degrees Fahrenheit.  
> Enjoy the chapter! :)

Akko was awoken from the sound of her phone alarm blaring at her. She had almost forgotten how annoying her alarm was and set a reminder to herself to change it to something more soothing. The sun was gleaming through her window which helped her adjust to the light once she turned on her lamp. After rubbing the tiredness from her eyes and doing a quick stretch, she wandered over to her closet to choose something to wear.

Her phone said it would be 28 degrees outside and sunny, so a sundress or a skirt would be a good choice. Then she remembered what Amanda told her the night prior. If it's true that Diana was a lesbian, Akko didn't want to draw any attention to herself at all. So maybe a dress or skirt wouldn't be the best option after all. She didn't want to wear a sweatshirt or sweat pants because that was just unprofessional and would honestly be rather uncomfortable in warm weather. So, she ended up deciding on wearing some jeans and her casual Martial Arts Club t-shirt. That wouldn't draw any attention, would it? It wasn't ugly or anything, but it wasn't too flashy either. Maybe she was just being paranoid.

Akko entered what would be considered the "living room" of the dorm and saw Amanda passed out on the sofa. Not what she expected to see first thing in the morning, but it wasn't an unusual sight. She rolled her eyes and laughed to herself, noticing some dribble on the side of Amanda's lip and part of her breast spilling out of the side of her tank top. She saw the blanket Amanda was using was a bit low, so she gently lifted it up a bit to cover her better. She must have forgotten how light of a sleeper Amanda was, because the moment Amanda felt Akko's hand brush against her body, the American instantly woke up startled and sat upright.

"Who-" Amanda started to yell, but instantly calmed down upon seeing her friend. "Oh, it's you."

Akko chuckled. "Who else would it be?"

"Good point," Amanda yawned, rubbing her eyes. "Looks like I crashed here last night. Sorry about that. Think I should go back to my own dorm?"

"It's fine, you're welcome to stay here as long as you want," Akko hummed, grabbing her dorm key off of the TV stand. "Just don't take any more of my Matcha tea or Yakisoba."

"I won't," Amanda assured her. "Even if it _is_ super good. Seriously dude, you gotta tell me where you buy that stuff."

Akko smiled. "I'll take you shopping with me next time I go. Sound good?"

"Yup," Amanda smiled back. "Hey, are you still gonna go out to the bar with us tonight?"

By _"us"_ , Akko assumed Amanda meant herself, Jasminka, and Constanze since Lotte and Sucy typically weren't ones to drink alcohol or go out to a bar with friends. Akko didn't remember ever agreeing going out drinking with Amanda; not that she was going to turn down that offer. It was a Friday after all and she could actually get drunk since she didn't have practice the next morning. She didn't have a reason not to get drunk, so why not?

"Yeah, sure. I could use a good drink or two after this shitty week," Akko nodded.

"Cool. Meet us there around eight or so," Amanda said calmly before laying back down.

"Alright. See you later tonight then," Akko said and started to walk towards the exit, but stopped. "Actually wait. Do I look bad?"

Amanda lifted her head up and looked her up and down. She smirked and then lay her head back down.

"Why do you care about how you look if this isn't a date?" Amanda mused.

"I'm trying not to look good," Akko said, realizing that didn't make much sense when Amanda raised a brow at her. "Look, if you're right about her being a lesbian, then I don't want her to think I'm attractive. I don't want her attracted to me at all... but I do still kind of want to get to know her. I don't know."

Akko's shirt didn't draw any attention, but her jeans certainly did. Amanda could easily see all of Akko's curves and the jeans showed off her rear pretty nicely as well. She was going to keep that to herself though.

Amanda scoffed. "You look fine then. I doubt Diana will care. Besides, a girl _that_ good looking is probably already taken."

Akko hadn't even considered that. Amanda was right, Diana _was_ very attractive. And considering she was the heir of a well known company, even if she _wasn't_ in a relationship, there was probably somebody on her radar who was likely going to be her spouse in the future. That made Akko wonder why she cared so much in the first place. Diana could have some little crush on her, not that Akko would be of any help for that, but Diana would never be able to pursue anything due to her social and wealth status. Akko was poor and only attending Luna Nova due to a scholarship. So did she really have anything to worry about?

"I guess you're right," Akko sighed. "Whoever's dating her is one lucky person though."

Amanda snickered. "Okay then."

"It's exactly what it means," Akko protested. "Don't think there's something more to that statement, you gay gremlin."

"I didn't until you said something," Amanda laughed.

Akko sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm leaving now. See you tonight."

"See you later," Amanda grinned slyly. "I think I'll sleep for a little bit longer. Your in-denial mentality tires me." 

Akko rolled her eyes and left. Amanda really got on her nerves sometimes. In-denial. She must have had a loose screw in her mind if she thought Akko was in-denial about her own sexuality! But... _what if she was?_ Akko didn't want to think about it. She just pushed it to the back of her mind. She had more important things to think about, like what she was going to have for breakfast with Diana since she definitely wasn't going to only have tea and maybe some biscuits. Diana was rich, Akko was certain she wouldn't hesitate in paying for her breakfast too.

The sun was nearly blinding outside and Akko regretted not grabbing her sunglasses. She shrugged it off and continued walking. She wasn't sure if Diana was already waiting for her or not. It was almost eight and she didn't want to be late. Someone as posh as Diana probably really cared about punctuality.

And it appeared she was right. Diana was in the same spot as they were last night, but unlike last night, Akko felt like she was punched in the gut. Diana was wearing a dark blue pant suit and her hair was neatly tied up in a bun. She looked so masculine but also feminine at the same time, Akko couldn't help but stare.

Before she knew it, her face was bright red and she was starting to sweat. She was panicking. She thought Diana couldn't be more attractive; she was clearly proven wrong. Why did she feel this way though? Had Diana been a guy, she would have had an explanation for feeling that way. But Diana was very much female, so Akko was left speechless and confused as to why she was so flustered.

Diana noticed Akko and smiled, waving her hand at her gently. Akko slowly raised her hand and waved back.

"Good morning, Akko! Or, Atsuko? Miss. Kagari? I've heard our professors call you a few things," Diana said awkwardly as she approached her.

Akko snapped out of her daze. "G-good morning! I-uh, you can just call me Akko."

"Alright then, Akko," Diana smiled. "Do you remember my name?"

"Of course! You're Diana Cavendish, how could I _not_ know who you are?" Akko blurted out. "O-oh and you look uh... very nice today."

A small blush appeared in Diana's cheeks. "Thank you. I'm going to attend a meeting after this, so I need to be in professional attire."

That explained the suit.

"I see," Akko hummed, trying not to look anywhere lower than Diana's neck.

"Shall we go then?" Diana asked.

"Yeah," Akko nodded.

Diana turned to walk away, and Akko couldn't help but stare again. Diana wasn't just attractive at this point. Akko was convinced the only logical explanation was that Diana was a goddess in disguise. _She had to be._

Akko eventually stopped staring and turned her focus on Diana's car once they got to the parking lot. She was surprised to see a black Tesla. Akko wasn't too familiar with cars, but she knew Tesla's were imported from America and she remembered Amanda talking about them before. They sure did live up to their hype about being luxurious.

"This is your car?" Akko asked.

"Yes it is. It was a gift," Diana said as if receiving a car as a gift was a popular thing. "Though if I'm honest, I much prefer German or French models over American ones."

"What about Japanese? I think they have some nice cars where I come from," Akko smiled.

Diana chuckled. "Hm, yes I do like Japanese models as well now that you mention it."

Akko swallowed hard, thinking about Diana's statement way more than she should have. "S-so uh, let's get going."

* * *

The café was much smaller than Akko expected, but it was charming nonetheless. Since the weather was warm and there was a cool breeze, the two decided to sit outside. Diana was sipping on her hot Earl grey tea long before Akko's green tea and strawberry-lemon scones arrived at the table. Akko refused to drink anything until her food arrived.  


"So, Akko, what do you do for a living?" Diana started a new conversation.

Akko took a quick bite from her scone. "As in a job? I don't have one. Well, I mean aside from running the Martial Arts Club, but that's not really a job and I'm kind of uh... taking a break from the club for a while."

Diana's eyes widened slightly. "That's a shame. You're outstanding at what you do."

Akko raised a brow at her in suspicion. "How do you know?"

"W-well, I noticed your black belt last night and assumed you were pretty advanced in whatever martial art you practice," Diana explained a bit too quickly. 

"Oh, right," Akko laughed. "I've been in taekwondo since I was ten. I _should_ be a third degree black belt now, but I'm still a second because I had to take a year off when I moved here."

"So you said you're from Japan, right?" Diana asked.

"Yeah, I'm surprised you can't tell from my accent," Akko smiled awkwardly. "I'm an exchange student who was lucky enough to get a scholarship for Taekwondo." 

"Correct me if I'm wrong then, but isn't Taekwondo a _Korean_ martial art? Why not choose a Japanese martial art like Karate?" Diana asked curiously. 

"To be honest with you, I never liked Karate. I did try it out when I was a little girl, but it never really clicked with me like Taekwondo did. I went to Red Dragon Academy and my surroundings there felt like I was part of a family. I didn't feel that when I was in Karate. I was Japanese and I saw favoritism because of it. Any other student from another culture was treated differently than a Japanese student and I didn't like that," Akko explained. "And if there's one thing I've learned about martial arts, its that it doesn't solely belong to just one nation or culture. Anyone can learn Karate or Taekwondo or any martial art if they want to."

"That's very wise, Akko," Diana said, her eyes lighting up.  


Akko shrugged. "It's the truth."

"Do you ever miss your home?" Diana changed the subject, taking another sip of her tea.

That was the first time someone had ever asked her that. Most people didn't know she was an exchange student, mainly because she wasn't friends with anyone outside of the Martial Arts Club. Her accent wasn't as noticeable as she thought it was and she didn't act like the other exchange students who were experiencing culture shock, so everyone just assumed she lived in the UK to begin with.

"Hmm, I guess so," Akko shrugged. "I do miss my parents and old dojo a lot though, but Luna Nova is my second home and I'm happy to live here."

"I'm glad to hear it," Diana smiled. "I... Akko, I'd like to thank you again for last night. Louis doesn't really understand the concept of rejection."

"Ah, don't mention it! And hey, I'd do it again too!" Akko grinned.

"I'm glad you said that," Diana said with a sly expression. "You mentioned you don't have a job, correct?"

Akko nodded, popping a small piece of scone into her mouth.

"Well, since your only skills that I know of are martial arts skills, have you ever considered becoming a bodyguard?" 

Actually, Akko _had_ thought about that before. She just didn't know anyone who would hire her since she's not part of a company or has the documents stating that she _was_ a bodyguard. She certainly had the skills, just not the background.  


"Yeah, actually," Akko nodded. "No one would hire me though. I'm still in college after all. But I'd probably do it."

"Would you like to be mine?" Diana asked slowly. "M-my body guard that is?"

"You want me... to be _your_ personal bodyguard?" Akko repeated.

"Y-you don't have to if you don't want to," Diana stuttered quickly. "But I would pay you handsomely for it."

That caught Akko's attention. She could definitely use the extra money.

"Just how much money are we talking about here?" Akko asked curiously.

"I would pay you sixty pounds an hour for thirty seven hours a week," Diana stated calmly.

Akko nearly choked on her scone. "W-what?! That's not... I couldn't ask that of you!"

"It isn't exactly a safe job, Akko," Diana countered. "I have people trying to go after me or my money constantly, so I can't guarantee you'd be safe. Why do you think I don't live on campus?"

Diana had a point. Louis probably wasn't the first or the last person to go after her since pretty much everyone in England knew the name "Cavendish". Though, Louis' motivations weren't for taking Diana's riches, but that didn't mean other people didn't try to go after her with _that_ motivation in mind as well.

"I guess you're right," Akko frowned. "Well, if I'm going to work for you, I don't want you paying me _that_ much."

"Hm, is there perhaps a way I can lower the payment and offer you something else in return?" Diana asked.

Well, Akko knew Diana was incredibly intelligent. Perhaps she could tutor Akko in return.

"Maybe you could lower it to something like _twenty_ pounds and... be my tutor?" Akko suggested. "I'm not doing so good in some of my classes and that's partially why I'm taking a break from the club... so I can bring my grades up." 

Diana blinked at her. "I've never tutored anyone before, but I suppose so. What subjects are you struggling in?"

"Uh, Biology, English Lit, and physics," Akko said. 

Diana smiled. "Well, you're in luck! I got an A+ in physics and English Lit last year and currently have an A+ in Biology now." 

"Hm," Akko thought. "So if I become your body guard, I get tutoring and twenty pounds an hour?"

"If you'd like," Diana nodded.

This was an extraordinary opportunity and Akko would be a fool to turn it down. She knew her questioning feelings would have to be pushed to the side line for now. This was about a potential job for her. If she said yes, she would not only get the tutoring she so desperately needed, but also got paid for it. She would just stand next to Diana and follow her wherever she went. How hard could that be? Well, aside from the chance of having to fight off an assailant, but Akko didn't care about that. She was trained to fight people anyway.

"I... I think I would!" Akko smiled. 

"Splendid," Diana smiled back. "Now I'll just need your contact information."

"As in my phone number?" Akko asked.

"Email, phone number, whatever I can use to get in contact with you," Diana explained.

"Hm, I'll just give you my number," Akko said, writing it down on a napkin. "My email address is a little... embarrassing."

Diana smirked. "Well now you're going to have to tell me what it is."

"Noooo," Akko moaned. "It's really... Okay if I tell you, keep in mind I made this when I was twelve."

Diana nodded and Akko wrote down her email address on the napkin. Diana looked at it and stared at it for a few seconds. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but _"ChariotDuNordismywife@gmail.com"_ was probably the last thing she would have ever expected.

"I... why is it so long?" Diana asked, trying not to laugh.

"If it was long like that, I knew it wouldn't have been taken as a username," Akko explained. 

"Also, I wasn't aware you were a fan of Chariot Du Nord. I also happen to be a fan of hers," Diana said quietly.

"Really? No way! You're the first person I've met who's heard of her!" Akko squealed with excitement. 

"I used to watch her on TV all the time when I was young. My aunt wouldn't allow me to watch many shows, but watching her was acceptable for some reason. Maybe because it was educational or something like that," Diana chuckled. "But the first time I saw her, I was in love... w-with what she did, not with who she was."

"I get it," Akko giggled. "I was so upset when I found out she was forced to retire. That one guy who broke her leg should have been arrested if you ask me."

"Oh I agree," Diana nodded. "Honestly, he should have been kicked out of the entire competition. Those referees were on drugs thinking it was an accident. It _clearly_ wasn't."

"Ugh, don't get me started," Akko rolled her eyes. "I'm not gonna rant, but there were so many times when those damn refs should have called a foul. Like that one guy who spit on her because he lost a round? And he even won the match! Gosh!"

Diana smiled and giggled. "Well it's nice to see we have something in common."

"Yeah," Akko smiled back.

Akko felt the table vibrate. Diana quickly picked up her phone and frowned.  


"I'm terribly sorry, Akko, but we need to leave. I wasn't keeping track of the time and well... my meeting is in ten minutes," Diana said, slightly panicked. 

"Oh damn, let's leave then."

Diana dropped Akko back at her dorm shortly after. The dorm wasn't filled with sounds of Amanda screaming at the TV, Lotte squealing with joy over a nightfall post, or Sucy cackling due to the positive results of an experiment, so Akko knew she was alone. Well, not completely alone. Her white beta fish Alcor was swimming contentedly in his fish bowl. 

She entered her room and plopped down on her bed. She glanced over at her Chariot Du Nord poster on her wall and smiled, thinking of Diana. She then decided to take a nap since she still had a few hours before her classes started. As soon as her eyes fluttered shut, her mind began to think about something, or rather _someone_ in particular: _Diana._ In fact, she had been thinking about Diana nonstop since she was dropped off.  


Although to be fair, Akko had just been with her, but the fact that Akko was thinking about how good Diana looked in that suit and how much she wished their time together wasn't over, that's what brought her questioning thoughts to the surface. The issue was, she couldn't get her mind off of the British woman. Whenever Akko thought about a person _this_ much, it always meant she had a crush on them.  


Akko grabbed her pillow and screamed into it. 

"Well shit," she breathed into her pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's totally normal to be hired as some rich lady's bodyguard a day after you met her. Wait, that hasn't happened to you?? Oh...
> 
> Diana Cavendish. | Age: 20 | Height: 5'6" | Nationality: British | Martial art(s): Unknown


	4. One too many

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may be the longest chapter of anything I've ever written. I didn't think splitting it into 2 chapters would have been a good idea, but I hope you enjoyed it regardless!

To say Akko's day was stressful would have been a gross understatement; it had been a while since she had a day _that_ trying. Anything and everything seemed to go wrong for her. The worst part of it was that she could have avoided it all. She could have set her alarm when she took her morning nap so she wouldn't have to be a half hour late to her Physics class which she completely forgot she had a test in. Had she studied the night before, perhaps she wouldn't have left half of the paper blank. Had she remembered her Biology notes, she might have been able to get a better grade on her open notes quiz that she also forgot about. If she hadn't ignored to tie her shoe, she wouldn't have tripped on her shoelace and dump all of her lunch onto a poor freshman girl. All in all... today had been one of the worst days for her.

Akko didn't believe in bad luck and wasn't exactly superstitious. However being that it was Friday the thirteenth and all of the talk about how that particular day of the year always brought about bad fortune, she was seriously starting to wonder if bad luck really did exist. She did believe in karma, though she didn't recall doing anything bad that would cause all of these bad things to happen to her. Although, her tests and quizzes could have gone better if she studied for them and brought her notes, so maybe she had bad karma for that. But just the overall negative feeling she felt for the majority of the day wouldn't be chalked up as karma.

In fact, everything bad seemed to happen right after Diana dropped her back off at her dorm. She wasn't sure if that had a correlation to anything, but she decided not to let it linger. All that mattered was that her shitty day was finally over and she could enjoy a wild and exciting night with her friends at the bar. Maybe she'd meet a cute college boy there too. _Anything_ to get her mind off of a certain blonde.

Sucy and Lotte knew early on that Akko was in a bad mood the entire day. Partially because after their classes, she entered her room in their dorm and slammed the door behind her. Typically when Akko was in a sour mood, the two found it was best to leave her alone unless she came out and wanted to vent to them. So they were quite relieved to see Akko leave her room in her jeans and a leather jacket, wearing a bright smile.

"You seem cheerful," Sucy commented as she passed Lotte the pretzel bag and turned her attention back to the TV screen.

"Are you... feeling better?" Lotte asked quietly, nibbling on a pretzel.

"Well, no point in dwelling on the past," Akko beamed. "Today was absolute shit, I won't deny that, but that's why I'm going out tonight. It's been one hell of a day and well, a hell of a week if I'm being honest. I deserve a drink or two. Or three."

"Don't get too intoxicated," Lotte warned.

"Seriously, Akko. I won't be cleaning up your puke again, you hear me?" Sucy snarled.

Akko swallowed hard. "Ha, yeah I learned my lesson last time. You really didn't have to kick me so hard in sparring the next day, you know. I had a bruise on my shin for a week!"

"Tsk, whatever. Not like you didn't deserve it," Sucy grumbled.

Akko chuckled nervously. "Yeah, you're not wrong. I should have been more responsible. I'll try to be tonight."

"You mean you _will_ be, right?" Lotte challenged. "I know for a fact Amanda and her roommates will probably be too drunk to even drive home, so don't be like them okay?"

Akko slowly nodded. "A-alright."

Lotte smiled. "Have fun tonight then!"

"I will!" Akko grinned.

Since she didn't own a car, she called for a taxi. There were quite a few bars in the area, but the one her and her friends always went to was The Rose and Crown. This time however, Amanda gave her a different address that lead to a pub called Witches Brew. She was unfamiliar with this location, but she was excited to try something new nonetheless. Besides, Amanda mentioned they had excellent discounts during happy hour.

The moment she entered the bar, her eyes locked onto a large rainbow flag on the wall. She blinked at it, realizing now why Amanda seemed so ecstatic to come to this place. She was in a gay bar. Her thoughts were confirmed once she saw several people flirting with others of the same gender and even a gay couple making out where others were dancing erotically. Yep. Definitely a gay bar.

She saw Amanda at a booth with Jasminka and Constanze sitting next to her. The American spotted her and waved at her to come to the table. Akko held on to her arms like she did whenever she felt very uncomfortable and awkwardly walked over and sat down across from them. There was a half full pitcher of beer and a bowl of salted almonds on the table. Judging by Amanda's expression, she seemed to already be a bit tipsy.

"Hey, Akko!" Jasminka smiled, popping an almond in her mouth.

"HI Jas," Akko chuckled nervously and then turned to Amanda. "Dude, this is a _gay_ bar."

"Yeah, no shit," Amanda laughed. "What gave it away? The pride flag on the wall or the people here?"

Akko glared at her. "I'm not gay! Why am I here?"

"Here to get drunk like you wanted?" Amanda asked.

"Well yes," Akko agreed. "But why a gay bar? What's wrong with Rose and Crown?"

"They had a private party tonight and this was the only other closest bar near Luna Nova," Jasminka said calmly and Constanze nodded. "Besides, all of us are LGBT... except for you I guess."

"Even you, Cons?" Akko asked with shock.

Constanze smiled and gave Akko a thumbs up.

"Jas is Pan and Cons is Ace and Bi," Amanda explained.

Akko looked lost. "Uh, what's that? I know what Bi is, but not the other two."

"Pan is for Pansexual which means I'm attracted to anyone regardless of their gender," Jasminka grinned.

"And Ace means Asexual which... well it's kind of an umbrella term, but in Constanze's case, it means she only feels romantic attraction. Not sexual attraction," Amanda explained.

Akko didn't know what to say. For the first time, she felt like she didn't belong at all. She was the odd one out and she didn't like the feeling one bit.

"So, are we gonna order shots?" Akko changed the subject.

Amanda squinted at her. "Pfft, no way, light weight."

"Hey! I'm here to get drunk like you said!" Akko protested.

"Alright fine," Amanda raised her hands up in defense. "But I'm not gonna be the one dragging your drunk ass back to the dorms though."

"Tsk, you won't be," Akko grumbled.

"Hey Amanda, isn't that Diana Cavendish over there?" Jasminka spoke up, pointing towards the entrance of the bar.

"Heh," Amanda smirked. "It really _is_ her."

Akko twisted her body in disbelief, staring in utter shock at the blonde. No. There was no way Diana was at the same bar at the same moment in time as Akko was. But she could see that it was clearly her. She could recognize those stunning blue eyes in a crowd easily. This was such a strange coincidence. Akko seriously cursed whoever decided her fate.

She noticed Diana was with two girls, one with red hair and another with black hair who both wore smug expressions. Akko assumed they were the girls Amanda mentioned the day prior. Hannah and Barbara. Diana looked just as awkward and uncomfortable as Akko did when she first entered Witches Brew. That eased Akko's nerves for she realized Diana might be in a similar situation like she was, but the only way to find out was to ask herself. But there was no way she was going to do that. She decided to focus on her soon-to-be empty mug of beer and not draw any attention to-

"Yo, Cavendish!" Amanda shouted.

Akko cringed. She looked behind her again to see Diana pinching the bridge of her nose. The two girls beside her were scowling at Amanda with disgust. Diana wasn't going to be rude or ignore her name being called, so she walked over to the table with her two friends close behind.

"Must you shout in a public place, O'Neill?" Diana sighed.

Akko stared at Diana and like before, she was stunned by how beautiful she was. This time it was hard not to look at her jean shorts which exposed her long legs and crop top which perfectly displayed her-

"It's loud in here anyway," Amanda replied coolly.

"Be that as it may, you could have simply gotten up and-" Diana stopped mid-sentence once she noticed Akko.

The two stared at each other, a blush appearing on both of their faces though perhaps for different reasons. Then again, maybe not. Akko was in a trance from the beauty in front of her and soon Diana was in a trance of her own, staring at the brunette.

"A-Akko?" Diana stuttered, breaking Akko from her daze.

"H-hi, Diana," Akko smiled sheepishly.

An awkward silence filled the atmosphere as everyone stared in awe at the two. More so they were surprised Diana and Akko even knew each other.

Amanda's surprised expression quickly turned into a sly one. "Say, Diana, why don't you, Barbara, and Hannah sit with us? We'd love to add three more to our little soirée."

"Absolutely not," the raven haired girl answered for Diana.

"Come on," Amanda interjected. "The beer's on us!"

"We're not here to drink beer," the other girl muttered shyly.

"Here to find a hot date then, Hannah?" Amanda wiggled her brows at her.

Hannah blushed and looked away. "Of course not. It's just... none of us are beer drinkers."

"Alright then, how about _drinks_ on us then?" Amanda offered.

"We appreciate the offer, O'Neill, but we can pay for ourselves," Diana responded curtly.

"I have a name you know," Amanda grumbled.

"I'm aware," Diana squinted at her. "Again, thank you for the offer, but we're quite alright paying for ourselves."

"Okay great," Amanda said with slight irritation. "You can still sit with us though, can't you? We're all school mates after all."

Barbara opened her mouth to respond, but Diana beat her to it.

"Unfortunately, we already have a table reserved."

"What about you? You're awfully quiet," Amanda asked Hannah. "It's a free bar, you can sit where you want."

"Yes it is," Hannah agreed. "And I want to sit with my friends."

Amanda had given up trying at this point. "Suit yourself then. Have a good night, ladies."

Diana nodded and the three walked away to a table near the opposite side of the bar.

"The nerve," Amanda muttered. "This place doesn't even take reservations. They didn't have to be rude."

"I agree," Jasminka nodded. "I wonder why they acted that way. None of them seemed to like you, Amanda."

"Yeah, no kidding," Amanda sighed, but then smiled at Akko. "But Diana sure seemed happy to see _you_ , Kagari."

Akko blushed. "W-what? I think she was more surprised to see me than anything else. I mean, I sure was surprised to see her."

"Why? I told you she was a lesbian," Amanda snickered.

"Yeah but you still don't know for sure," Akko countered.

"Tsk, I think her being in a gay bar is proof enough," Amanda laughed.

"Maybe not. I'm here after all," Akko pointed out.

"Yeah, but I still have my suspicions about you," Amanda shrugged. "Don't you think Diana's hot?"

"W-well I mean, maybe? I guess?" Akko murmured.

"Well I think she is," Amanda smirked. "I might even go flirt with her after she's had a few drinks."

For some peculiar reason, Akko didn't want Amanda doing this. Actually now that she thought about it, she really hoped no one flirted with Diana at all. Although considering where they were and how good looking Diana was, that was inevitable.

"Don't do that," Akko said flatly.

"Oh sorry, were you going to?" Amanda asked innocently.

" _No_ , but I think she's made it clear she doesn't really like you," Akko said frankly. "By all means, try your luck though."

"Eh, I might with Hannah, but Diana and Barbara are lost causes," Amanda shook her head. "They both hate me too much."

"You should try with Hannah," Jasminka encouraged her. "Did you see the way she was blushing and glancing at you?"

"No way, for real?" Amanda asked excitedly.

Jasminka smiled. "You've mentioned asking her out before, haven't you?"

"Yeah, but I never did because I thought she was straight," Amanda explained.

"Well, it never hurts to try and tonight might be your chance to ask," Akko chimed in.

Constanze and Jasminka nodded in agreement.

"Looks like my chance might come sooner than later," Amanda said, getting up to walk to the dance floor where Hannah currently was.

Akko didn't even notice that Diana was now sitting alone at her table. Barbara got up to talk to one of the servers who she appeared to be friends with, and Hannah must have gone to the dance floor at some point. Diana was staring at her phone and sipping on a margarita. She looked bored in all honesty, but also a bit lonely?

"Do... you guys mind if I go talk to Diana for a minute?" Akko asked.

She wasn't sure where she found the confidence to make that decision, but maybe it was because Amanda wasn't there to tease her for it.

"Not at all! Go ahead," Jasminka beamed.

Akko smiled and got up, walking over to Diana's table. Diana looked up for a brief second to see who suddenly sat down and was very pleased to see Akko.

"Fancy seeing you here, huh?" Akko chuckled awkwardly.

Diana smiled slightly. "I... of all places I'd expect to see you, a gay bar would probably be the last place."

"I was about to say the same about you," Akko smiled back.

"I could understand why you'd think that about me," Diana mused. "I'm not exactly attracted to men. My two friends took advantage of that and brought me here."

"Me too," Akko sighed.

Diana's eyes widened in surprise.

"I-I mean that my friends brought me here! I'm totally straight!" Akko quickly corrected herself. "At least I think so."

"You _think?"_ Diana teased. _  
_

Diana was someone Akko _wasn't_ willing to talk to about her sexuality. She did seem like she could keep a secret and Akko did trust her to a certain extent, but she'd rather not have that discussion with technically her new employer.

"Uh, well-"

"It's alright, you don't have to talk about it if you aren't comfortable doing so," Diana interrupted her.

Akko sighed with relief and changed the subject. "So, why do you hate Amanda?"

That caught Diana off guard. "I don't hate her... Well I don't particularly like her, but I don't _hate_ her."

Akko tilted her head to the side. "Why's that?"

Diana pressed her lips together. "I know you're really good friends with her and I mean no offense when I say this, but she's a... oh what's an appropriate term for someone who sleeps around?"

"A slut?" Akko laughed. "And none taken. Amanda's totally a player."

"I wouldn't have used that term, but I suppose so. Perhaps player would have been a better word," Diana chuckled.

"Yep, that's Amanda all right," Akko laughed.

"I don't like her because she broke my friend Avery's heart," Diana said, her words suddenly turning bitter as she watched Hannah dance with Amanda on the dance floor. "And I _know_ she has her eyes on Hannah. Barbara and I have warned Hannah not to give her the time of day, but it appears she isn't listening to us."

Akko knew Avery. She wouldn't go as far to say that the two were friends, but Avery _was_ in the Martial Arts Club. The only reason why Avery didn't know Akko too well was because she was very new to the club and was at a significantly lower belt level. That also explained why Avery and Amanda were so cold and distant toward each other in class and during the club's meet ups.

"Oh," Akko murmured.

Before Diana could possibly complain more about the American, a waiter delivered several shots to Diana's table. Akko stared at them and then watched in shock as Diana took a shot herself.

"Would you like a couple shots, Akko?" Diana offered.

"A-aren't those for Barbara and Hannah though?" Akko asked.

"Those two more or less abandoned me, so help yourself," Diana grinned. "I'm paying for them anyway. I can always buy more when they return."

"Well, if you insist," Akko said nervously.

"I'd be careful though," Diana warned. "Sunset rum packs quite the punch. It's easy to get drunk off of it."

* * *

After one too many shots, Akko knew she was wasted. Diana however, was only a tad bit tipsy. She didn't have as many shots as Akko and was pacing herself. Akko's intentions were to become wasted and she made that clear. Diana frowned at that since she rarely drank to get drunk, but she respected Akko's decision to do so. It was also pretty fun to see Akko drunk. Her filter went out the window when she was drunk and it was amusing to listen to what she had to say; more so _how_ she said it.

"Wanna go dance?" Akko said lazily to Diana.

With alcohol in her system, Diana was also much more relaxed and open compared to her introverted sober self.

"If you'd like."

Akko wasn't sure what song was playing and she didn't care. The moment she was on the dance floor, she began dancing. Well, trying to dance, that is. She was many things, but a dancer was not one of them. Her movements were sporadic and awkward, but at least she had a good sense of the rhythm.

"Nice of you to join us," Amanda said loudly over the music.

Akko turned to her left and saw her friend still dancing with Hannah. Hannah was red in the face either from alcohol, blushing, or from the dancing. There was a good chance it was a mixture of all three. Akko then realized Amanda wasn't talking to her, but to Diana instead.

Diana rolled her eyes. "Akko wanted to dance."

"I don't see _you_ dancing though," Hannah smirked. "You keep gawking Akko."

Diana blushed furiously and gave her friend a death stare. "I-I was not! I was merely observing her movements!"

"Really? She sucks at dancing though," Amanda laughed.

"No I don't!" Akko complained.

Diana grimaced. "You kind of do, love."

Akko blushed. "W-well why don't _you_ show me how to dance then if I'm so bad. Let's see if you're any better."

Diana should have kept her mouth shut. Sure she could dance, but not to _this_ kind of music. All of her dancing experience was for ball room dancing exclusively, not up-beat rock music. She'd look as silly as Akko did if she tried to ball room dance to this genre of music.

"Alright then," Diana accepted Akko's challenge.

The song soon faded into a new one with a slightly slower beat. Diana listened to the rhythm for a few seconds and shut her eyes, subtly starting to sway her hips to the beats and did what felt most natural to her. And then as if she were a completely different person, her movements became more and more... _passionate_ to say the least. Several other people stared at her and some wolf-whistled at her, but Akko's jaw dropped. Her heart was now beating in two areas of her body and she swallowed hard, realizing that Diana's dancing was turning her on. She shook her head, trying to convince herself that it was probably the alcohol that was making her react like this, but she couldn't take her eyes off of Diana.

As soon as the song ended, Diana opened her eyes again and shyly smiled at Akko.

"Woah," Akko responded lowly. "You were-"

"Damn, Cavendish!" Amanda bellowed over Akko's voice.

Diana flinched. "Not so loud please. I'd rather not have the entire bar know who I am."

"Sorry," Amanda chuckled. "Akko, you okay there?"

Akko looked like she was out of it and she was.

"I'm fine, just tired all of a sudden," Akko murmured.

Diana's expression instantly became concerned. "Can I offer to return you to your dorm?"

"I... can w-walk," Akko slurred.

Amanda shook her head. "Uh, no you can't. That's a six mile walk from here, mate."

"I'll take her back," Diana said sternly.

Amanda smirked. "Be my guest."

"Can you actually walk though, Akko?" Diana asked.

"Psh, of course I... can," Akko grinned stupidly.

She clumsily started to walk towards the exit and bumped into a couple people who were dancing. Diana caught up to her before she could accidentally knock the drink out of someones hand. Akko blushed, feeling Diana's arm wrap around her waist. She looked up at the blonde who was holding her steadily.

"You _can_ walk, just not very well," Diana corrected her.

"I... yeah," Akko giggled. "Take me home, pretty lady!"

Diana's cheeks turned light pink. "Very well."

It was hard enough getting Akko to the car, nonetheless getting her _into_ the car. She was very much intoxicated like she had promised she would be earlier that night. The moment Diana buckled her in, Akko fell asleep. Diana stared at her for a few moments. Even if Akko's brunette hair was messy and she reeked of alcohol, Diana couldn't deny how beautiful she was when she was asleep.

"Bullocks, she's asleep," Diana whispered, realizing something as she left the parking lot.

She realized she would have great difficulty guiding Akko across the campus to her dorm, and that was assuming Akko would tell her where her dorm was and which section it was at. In her current state, there was no way to know. Diana wasn't just going to drop her off and leave her to find her dorm on her own, so maybe there was an alternative. Her estate _was_ only two miles away compared to Luna Nova which was six miles away, and Diana only wanted Akko to be asleep safely and soundly in a bed. The estate was sounding like a better option the more she thought about it.

Once she reached her mansion, she lightly tapped Akko who appeared to be out cold. Diana wasn't too strong, but Akko didn't look like she was all that heavy. She was proven wrong once she scooped her into her arms. It confused her. How could someone so small and skinny be heavy? She didn't dwell on the thought for too long since her mind was already occupied on where she would have Akko stay for the night. She could have taken Akko to her room, but that was a long journey upstairs which she wasn't willing to do. A downstairs guest room would have to do, even if it hadn't been dusted in ages. She knew the Japanese girl probably wouldn't mind.

She received a few suspicious glances from her butlers and maids who were tidying up, but they knew Diana well and didn't think much of it. Once Diana entered the guest room, she didn't bother turning on the light in case it would wake Akko. She gently placed Akko on the side of the bed and would have pulled the blankets over her.

She _would_ have if Akko hadn't suddenly pulled her on top of her. Diana's eyes were wide as saucers and she had never felt her heart beat as fast as it did in that very moment. And what's worse, she was frozen. She couldn't move a muscle. She noticed Akko's crimson eyes were slightly open from the glow of the moonlight that dimly lit the room.

"You're r-really kinda cute, you... know?" Akko slurred.

"I-I," Diana stuttered.

Akko wrapped an arm around Diana's neck and pulled her close, so close that their noses were millimeters apart. Diana had never been _this_ close to a girl she was attracted to, let alone a girl before. Given the circumstance, she was ashamed to admit she was very aroused by Akko's sudden action.

" _And_ sexy," Akko whispered huskily.

Diana shivered, surprised by how arousing Akko's words were. But this was not the time to fulfill each and every scandalous thought and desire that entered her mind. It took every ounce of control not to kiss the girl beneath her. However if _Akko_ kissed her, she wasn't so sure what she would do.

"You're drunk," Diana reminded her and herself.

"Hm, true~" Akko giggled, moving her hand to Diana's hips. "Let's have a little fun, yeah?"

Diana bit her lip and shut her eyes, wanting nothing more than to grind down on her in response to that, but she restrained herself.

"Let go," Diana said softly, though she didn't want Akko to let go at all.

Akko instantly released her and continued giggling to herself as Diana quickly got off of her.

"Ahh, what happened?" Akko pouted sleepily.

"Rest, Atsuko," Diana instructed.

"It's hot," Akko complained, gripping the hem of her shirt and slowly started to tug upwards. "Can't sleep like this."

This was the first time Diana had been at such a complete loss of words. Akko had removed her shirt and tossed it at her, but the shirt hit Diana and fell to the floor. Diana didn't even notice that the shirt hit her, she was too focused on Akko's upper body frame. She then knew why Akko was so heavy; she was extremely muscular. And everything about her made Diana melt from the inside out. The swell of Akko's breasts still contained by her black sports bra, her abs, her biceps, all of it was overwhelming. Diana had to leave immediately before she did something she knew she would regret.

"G-good night, Akko. I'll see you tomorrow moaning... I-I mean _m-morning!_ Good night!" Diana blushed from embarrassment and quickly departed from the room before Akko could say anything.

She rested her back against the now closed door and placed her hand on her chest. Her heartbeat wasn't calming down and neither were her scandalous thoughts. Tomorrow would certainly be interesting for her, she knew that much.

 _'I know what she said earlier,'_ Diana thought to herself. _'But that woman is not straight. There's no way.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lotte Yanson | 20 | 5'1" | Finnish | Martial art(s): Karate, brown belt; Taekwondo, blue belt


	5. Explaination

This wasn't the first time Akko had woken up in someone else's bed, but this situation was different. Her memory of the night prior was foggy and she didn't remember much. She didn't have the slightest clue as to how she got here or who brought her here. The room she was in looked much like that of a five star hotel room. The bed sheets were made of silk, the room itself was massive, and a sparkling, silver chandelier hung from the ceiling. Well, whoever brought her here had excellent taste and was probably far wealthier than she could ever dream to be.

She suddenly noticed that her shirt was absent from her body which wasn't a good sign. She groaned and facepalmed, realizing something must have went down last night. At least her pants were still on. That calmed her nerves slightly, but it still didn't mean nothing didn't happen. She hoped and prayed whatever _did_ happen wasn't with someone she knew, if anything happened at all.

She slowly got out of bed, suddenly feeling her head start to pound. She was hungover which didn't surprise her in the slightest considering how wasted she was last night and could hardly remember a thing presently. It wasn't too terrible though, she had fought worse. It still wasn't a pleasant feeling; she knew once she got home, which was still an issue, she would definitely have to take some pain killers.

She picked up her shirt off of the ground and put it back on, dreading why she took it off in the first place or if someone took it off for her. She took a deep breath, her hand hovering over the door knob. Should she leave a note for the person? In her defense, she woke up with no one sleeping next to her, so maybe whoever was with her was long gone. She still didn't know where she was, so there was only one way to find out.

The door creaked open and when she peered her head out slightly, she didn't see the hall of a hotel room. She blinked at the sight before her, knowing that this situation was a lot worse than she thought. She was in someone's _home._

"Miss. Kagari, you're awake," the voice of a middle aged woman spoke softly.

The woman was wearing the clothing of a maid and didn't appear to be happy to see her.

"Uh, who are you? And how do you know me?" Akko asked nervously.

The woman sighed and a ghost of a smile appeared on her face. "My name is Anna, and my lady requested to send you to her once you woke up. I will take you to her."

Now Akko was nervous. Who could she have possibly met last night who was _this_ rich, wealthy enough to have a maid? She thought about who she was with and who she met last night. Amanda, Jasminka, and Constanze all lived in the dorms and she couldn't even consider Hannah and Barbara as acquaintances, so the likeliness of this being their house was low. Unless... no. There was no remote possibility she was in Diana's house. Why would Diana even bring her here in the first place? Why would Amanda, her best friend, entrust Diana with something like this if it were the case? The more she thought about it, the more she realized this is exactly something the American would do, especially considering how much she had been trying to convince Akko that she was in denial about her sexuality. She'd be sure to kick her ass the next time they sparred together, whenever that would be.

Anna led her outside and Akko was shocked seeing the amount of space in the... back yard? She wasn't sure it could be considered a back yard due to the sheer size.

"Good morning, Akko," she heard the unmistakable voice of Diana.

She looked to the left and saw Diana sitting at a small table, sipping a cup of tea. She looked even more stunning than she did the night before, making Akko believe her theory that Diana was a goddess in disguise even more. Maybe that was because of the sunlight that hit her at just the right angle- wait, Diana! Akko _was_ at Diana's home. That could only mean that the two of them-

"Is there anything else I can do for you, my lady?" Anna asked politely.

"That'll be all for now, Anna," Diana responded kindly.

Anna bowed her head in respect and left the two in silence. Akko fidgeted with the hem of her shirt and awkwardly looked anywhere that wasn't in Diana's direction. She could feel Diana staring at her and she briefly glanced in her direction to confirm it. Diana was indeed staring at her, but she looked like she was thinking.

"Care to sit down, Akko?" Diana asked softly.

"O-okay," Akko muttered, awkwardly sitting across from her.

Diana could tell Akko was nervous and it wasn't like she didn't have a reason not to be. She woke up in an unknown location right after getting wasted at a _gay_ bar. Diana realized she probably should have stayed in the room with Akko last night so when she woke up, she wouldn't have been as freaked out. She regretted not doing so.

Diana hesitated before speaking. "Do you... remember anything from last night?"

Akko shook her head. "Not much."

Diana frowned. She wasn't sure what she was going to tell Akko. After all, the two almost kissed last night; they almost did a _couple_ of things last night. Diana was concerned about how Akko would take it considering she was the one who initiated what happened or rather, what _almost_ happened between them last night. But Akko deserved an explanation at the very least.

"I see," Diana said slowly.

"Can I ask why I'm at your house?" Akko asked.

"Well, you were quite drunk last night and I offered to take you back to your dorm, but you fell asleep in my car and I decided it would be best to just take you here since my estate was fairly close to the bar," Diana explained.

"Oh. So we uh, last night, we didn't..." Akko started to say, but didn't have the courage to finish her sentence.

"You're right, we didn't," Diana stated reassuringly.

Akko sighed with relief. "Thank goodness."

 _"Well._.." Diana trailed off.

Akko felt her heart skip a beat. "Well?"

Diana wondered if she should tell her. She might as well. She didn't want to have this secret hanging over her head. It would be wrong to not tell Akko anyway and the last thing she wanted was for Akko to not have any trust in her.

"We _almost_ did something, but I stopped it before anything could happen," Diana blushed.

"Define almost," Akko chuckled nervously.

Diana blushed even more, choosing her next words carefully. "Believe what you will, but _you_ were the one who tried to... well, sleep with me."

Akko pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed shamefully. "Kuso... Sumimasen, Diana."

Diana didn't know Japanese, but she could tell Akko was apologizing.

"It's okay, Akko."

"No, it's not," Akko shook her head. "I really am sorry. I hope I didn't screw things up between us."

"You didn't," Diana assured her.

Well, that wasn't entirely truthful. Diana had thought Akko was attractive before and even had feelings for her, but with the events of last night, it only caused her feelings to grow even stronger. Had Diana gone through with her lustful desires last night, which she seriously considered doing, then things most certainly would have been screwed up between them. Diana _did_ know that things between them would probably be awkward for a while now though.

"You're probably confused about me now," Akko murmured sadly. "I went to a gay bar claiming I was straight and then tried to sleep with you last night."

Diana chuckled. "Yeah, that was rather confusing."

Akko wasn't sure what she was supposed to say now. Diana still wasn't someone she was comfortable talking to about her sexuality. Well, Akko wasn't comfortable with _anyone_ discussing that topic with her, not even Amanda. She wasn't even sure if Diana would understand what Akko was feeling. Perhaps it was worth a try?

"I... I don't know if I'm straight, okay?" Akko said out loud for the first time.

Diana widened her eyes in surprise at Akko's sudden confession but kept her mouth shut.

"I was raised in a homophobic household, so obviously I was raised to like boys," Akko continued. "And I know I like boys, I've dated a few of them. I just... I've always questioned if I could be in a relationship with a girl ever. It always sounded so nice in my heart, but my guilt and shame always pushed those kind of thoughts away. That doesn't make me bi and in denial, does it?"

Diana could relate to Akko on a personal level, except in her case things were a bit different. She knew early on that she didn't like boys, but she was also raised in a homophobic household and was taught that she was going to marry a man preferably who was wealthy, to carry on the Cavendish bloodline. She never had guilt about who she was though. She knew that's how things were going to be in her life and that she if she _were_ to marry someone, it would be a woman.

"I understand how you feel, Akko," Diana said softly. "Well, aside from liking boys. I knew I was a lesbian since I was about five years old, but I do know what it's like being raised in a homophobic household. I was raised by my aunt since my mother passed away when I was young and I never knew who my father was. My aunt is likely the most conservative and homophobic person you'll meet, so I know how you feel."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Akko responded.

"As am I about you," Diana nodded. "And to answer your question from before, no. It doesn't necessarily make you bisexual. However, you could be going through a time of questioning. I myself went through a questioning phase during my early teen years; not that I'm saying what you're going through is a phase by any means. Everyone's different."

"Questioning, huh?" Akko pondered aloud.

Diana nodded.

"Any advice for me on that?"

"Well for me when I was questioning whether or not I truly was a lesbian, I thought I liked a boy named Andrew. You'll actually likely get to meet him at some point since he's my business partner," Diana pointed out. "I mainly thought I liked him because my aunt told me he would be the best man for me to marry and that I should get to know him. And I did. The two of us are best friends now, but I can say with certainty there wasn't a time when I wanted to kiss him or... sleep with him. In the end, I just wanted to become close friends with him."

"So if I really am questioning, I should basically get to know a girl I might be attracted to and see how my feelings for her develop?" Akko asked slowly.

"In a sense, yes," Diana confirmed.

What Akko was going through would definitely be considered a questioning period. She was quite positive she had some sort of feelings for Diana at this point. If Diana were a guy, she wouldn't even deny the romantic _and_ sexual feelings she felt. But since Diana _wasn't_ a guy, that complicated things for her significantly and made her brain hurt thinking about it. Maybe getting to know Diana better would help confirm these feelings for her whether or not she gets the outcome she wants.

"It's alright to question things about yourself, you know," Diana responded, sipping more of her tea. "It's the best way of building a better relationship with yourself."

"So... I seduced you last night. Did I kiss you or grab your boob or something?" Akko asked bluntly and suddenly.

Diana choked on her tea slightly at Akko's forwardness and at the thought of Akko doing such a thing to her. "Correction, you _attempted_ to seduce me."

"Okay, but what did I do?" Akko pressed and then cringed. "Don't tell me I put my hand down your pants."

"You didn't," Diana assured her, her face was turning redder by the second. "You... you pulled me on top of you on the bed and _tried_ to kiss me. You also took off your shirt, though you claimed you were hot. You called me some rather... _intimate_ things as well."

Now it was Akko's turn to blush not only from embarrassment. "O-oh."

"B-but things could have gotten out of hand quickly had I not stopped you," Diana added.

"I have a question then," Akko said.

Diana nodded.

"Why _did_ you stop me? We both had alcohol in our systems and I'm well... I'm pretty damn cute," Akko chuckled. "So why did you? Based on what you're saying, I was the one who initiated it."

That was an easy question.

"I'm, you could say, old fashioned. I don't really believe in one night stands," Diana answered. "Besides, taking advantage of a girl questioning her sexuality who also happens to be someone who will work for me soon wouldn't have been the best idea either. Even if you are as you said, _pretty damn cute_."

Akko couldn't help but smile at that. Diana thought she was cute! Wait... _no._ That wasn't good at all. In fact, Akko had wanted Diana to think the opposite and now she thinks she's cute. Well, nothing she could do about it now. Maybe once Diana got to know her a lot better, her opinion of that would change. The issue was, there was a part of Akko that _wanted_ Diana to be attracted to her; that side of her was clearly shown last night. It wouldn't hurt having feelings for each other, would it? The likelihood of the two entering a relationship was near impossible anyway.

"I... thanks for that I guess?" Akko smiled weakly.

Diana nodded and poured more tea into her cup. "So, how are you feeling this morning?"

Akko sighed with relief, knowing that other conversation was finally over. "Like shit. I have a hangover."

Diana handed Akko her cup of tea. Akko looked at the hot liquid and then stared at Diana.

"Drink it," Diana commanded her.

"B-but isn't that an indirect kiss?" Akko said shyly.

Diana glared at her.

"Okay, okay," Akko laughed, taking a long sip of the tea.

"It has some medicinal herbs in it that should help clear your head. If you have a headache, I have some pain medication I can give to you as well," Diana offered.

"So are you hungover too?" Akko asked, finishing the tea.

"No, I've never been hungover. At least I know how to control myself and drink responsibly," Diana said proudly.

Akko raised a brow at her "Are you saying I don't have control?"

Diana smirked. "Never said that. However, due to your actions last night both from drinking _and_ what you attempted to do with me in bed, I'd say your methods of control aren't very good."

Akko looked away guiltily. "I've been told that before you know."

"Hm?"

"Croix Sensei and Ursula Sensei have told me in the past that I need to work on control. I thought they were only talking about whenever I kicked or punched in sparring, but maybe they meant something else," Akko explained. "I guess I do have issues with control. Heck, even the night when I saved you from Louis, I had poor control."

Diana thought about that for a moment. "Did you? You seemed quite calm and knew exactly what you were doing."

"That's the thing," Akko muttered. "I was _this_ close to attacking him and beating the crap out of him. You being harassed like that made me angry... I can't stand guys like that."

"For what it's worth, you _did_ save me. And you didn't lose control in that situation," Diana smiled.

"I was close to though," Akko muttered bitterly.

"But you _didn't_ , even if you were very close to," Diana made the point clear. "And that shows great control and restraint."

"I kind of have to. I took an oath when I became a black belt to never use my skills to intentionally harm others or to start fights; to only defend myself and those who can't defend themselves. If I ever break that oath, then I don't deserve the belt I wear," Akko explained.

Diana nodded. "I see. To be honest, you don't strike me as the type to pick fights anyway."

"Pft, I'm a hot head," Akko scoffed. "Nothing like Amanda though. I _do_ pick playful fights with her from time to time, but my control is much better than hers."

Diana smiled. "That's a good thing then. O'Neill definitely lacks restraint and control. I've seen that not only by attending the Martial Arts Club tournaments, but I've seen the way she plays lacrosse and softball too."

"Wait a second, you've been to our tournaments?" Akko blushed, thinking back to all the competitions she went to and all of the embarrassing mistakes she made.

"Of course," Diana grinned. "Though mainly it was Hannah who dragged me along so she could watch Amanda compete."

Akko's eyes widened. "Oh wow, so she's liked Amanda for a while then."

"Indeed she has," Diana sighed sadly. "I know Amanda is _very_ attractive, but I don't see what Hannah sees in her. The two hardly talk and are practically polar opposites, yet Hannah is convinced they'll get together some day."

"Actually, I don't doubt that," Akko laughed. "Amanda has talked about asking Hannah out before. She just thought Hannah was straight or taken so she hasn't done it."

Diana raised a brow at her. "That hasn't stopped her from chasing other straight girls before."

"Yeah well, those girls approached her in those instances. She was just happy to oblige and fulfill their horny curiosity. But actually going after a straight girl for a possible relationship? She's not _that_ stupid," Akko explained.

Diana pursed her lips together. "I see. Well, I just hope the two didn't hook up last night. Hannah has a full schedule today and she hasn't responded to my texts. I'm not sure about Amanda and what she has planned for today, but I assume you would know."

Akko thought about Amanda and wondered what she was doing at the moment. If she was true to her word, she would be in the dojo working on her bo staff or escrima training. Saturdays were the only other days of the week aside from Wednesdays where the students got to train and enhance their weaponry skills. That's something Akko will miss dearly, considering weapon training is one of her favorite things to do.

"Eh it depends," Akko shrugged. "She should be in the dojo right now, but there's also a fifty percent chance she's in bed fighting a hangover. She doesn't come to practice as often as she should, so it's probably the latter." 

"Hmph," Diana sighed. "I never understand people who slack off and still end up with incredible results with school work or in her case, tournaments. She's quite spectacular when competing."

"That's true and I hate it," Akko groaned. "I think it's mainly because she's very competitive. In her defense, I've seen her practice a lot on her free time too, but it's just annoying that she doesn't show up to practice to support everyone else."

"You should tell her your feelings about that," Diana suggested.

"I might," Akko nodded and decided to change the subject. "So, do you have anything planned today or were you just gonna drop me off at my dorm once I woke up?"

Diana had thought about this. It was a Saturday which meant it was a free day for her. Akko had mentioned she wanted tutoring in addition to her payment as a body guard, but she hadn't exactly done any work to earn any sort of payment. Diana didn't know Akko very well yet, but she could tell she wouldn't want to spend her Saturday studying. Then again, Akko really did need tutoring and Diana had all of her text books in her room which Akko could use or they could simply go to Luna Nova and study in the library.

"Aside from offering you your first tutoring study session, I didn't have much in mind. I was mainly waiting for you to tell me what you had planned today," Diana explained.

Akko frowned. "Studying? Seriously? But it's the weekend!"

"Well, when do you usually study?" Diana challenged.

"Uh, the night before a test... the day of the test?" Akko smiled weakly.

Diana mentally face palmed. "We'll have to change your study habits if you wish to bring up your grades."

"But Dianaaaa, studying is so boring," Akko whined. "Can't we do something fun today? Or even go do something where I can start being your body guard?"

Diana considered it. She _did_ have to pick up a few files from the hospital and meet her Aunt Daryl for dinner later that day. She could take Akko with her for those things, though she'd never really need a body guard while at the hospital considering the amount of security guards patrolling all around the location and the amount of people who she knew personally who worked there. However, that would mean it would be Akko's first day of her job technically, and Diana could see how well she performs. Not exactly what she had planned, but it would work.

"Hm, perhaps you could accompany me to dinner with me and my Aunt later today," Diana suggested. "But before that, I'd like you to at least study for a couple hours and show me where you struggle the most."

"Fine," Akko sighed in defeat. "Wait, dinner? So I'll be standing guard or something?"

"Something like that," Diana smiled. "I'll be sure to feed you afterwards."

Akko wouldn't say no to that, even if she was going to spend a part of her day doing the thing she least enjoyed. But it couldn't be all that bad. Diana was going to be with her the whole day, how could that result negatively? Well, aside from Akko's feelings for her growing stronger. She knew that even if her feelings did grow stronger, she'd have to ignore them. Having a crush on your employer never ends well and she wanted her work place relationship with Diana to be absolutely professional. So she was either going to have to find a new person to have a crush on, or completely have her feelings for Diana _crushed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sucy Manbavaran | 20 | | 5'3" | Fillipino | Martial art(s): Brazilian Jujitsu, 2nd degree black belt


	6. Getting it right

Out of all the tutors Akko had learned from in her life, none were quite as distracting as Diana. Make no mistake, Diana was an excellent teacher and explained concepts better than even Akko's professor could. However, Akko more often than not found herself staring at Diana for no apparent reason. Like she had once predicted, she easily drowned in Diana's beautiful, crystal blue eyes. And the way her breath stirred the hairs on her arm as Diana bent down to fix one of her mistakes was enough to drive her mad. Being _that_ physically close to Diana and having her heart beat a million miles per hour definitely confirmed she had more than just _friendly_ feelings toward the blonde.

However, no matter how much Akko enjoyed listening to Diana passionately go on and on about Mitosis, she knew she needed a break. Well, _another_ break. Sure fifteen minutes had passed already, but Akko had already been with Diana for two and a half hours straight with only one ten minute break in between the hour. She at least needed to give her brain a bit of rest. The last time she studied _this_ long was for her finals. Surely Diana would understand.

She seemed to partially drown out Diana and focus on a blank sheet of paper in front of her. She wasn't drawing or writing something down, but she began to fold it.

"And in the Telophase of Mitosis, you'll see that-" Diana stopped lecturing once she realized Akko was focusing on something other than her notes. She sighed heavily. "Akko, please tell me you're not turning your notes into a paper flower."

"Of course not," Akko snapped defensively, then handed Diana her creation with a grin. "It's a piece of scrap paper. And it's not a flower, it's a paper crane!"

Diana was rather intrigued by the perfectly folded piece of paper. She had actually always wanted to learn how to do Origami. When she was little, she used to watch her mother create lotus flowers out of the Sunday newspaper and it always put a smile on Diana's face. Perhaps she would ask Akko to teach her how to create a crane or even a lotus flower sometime. But now certainly wasn't the time for that.

"That's lovely, Akko," Diana smiled slightly. "But we really need to get back to work. Now, the Telophase of-"

"But Dianaaa," Akko interrupted. "My brain is fried! I never study _this_ much in one day! I need a break!"

Diana looked at her clock on her night stand and frowned. "Akko, we _just_ had a break. I promise we only have forty five more minutes and then we can leave to meet my Aunt for dinner at four."

"No way," Akko protested, laying her head on the desk. "And isn't four o' clock a little early for dinner?"

"Not for my family... and how about a half hour of studying instead of forty five minutes?" Diana tried to compromise.

"Hm... fine," Akko agreed. "But I _still_ wanna take a break now."

"Very well," Diana caved in. "But it will be a shorter break this time. Five minutes."

"Can we make it ten if I make it less of a break and more of a... time to practice my kicks and techniques?" Akko asked hopefully. "I still need to keep my mind sharp for Taekwondo. The Winter tournament isn't too far away after all and I need as much practice as I can get."

"Alright, ten. Not a second more," Diana smirked. "You can go outside too if you wish."

Akko grinned and got up, walking towards the exit. She stopped once she noticed Diana wasn't following her.

"Aren't you coming?"

Diana stared at her dumbfounded. She hadn't made the connection that Akko wanted her to _watch_ her practice. Diana had seen Akko in action before, but her attention wasn't always focused on her. This time it would be. And she was sure to enjoy every single second of it regardless of what Akko did.

"Y-yes, of course. My apologies. I seemed to blank out momentarily," Diana explained.

The two walked downstairs and out to Diana's back yard. Akko breathed in the fresh air and grinned, joyful to feel the cool breeze against her skin. She found a nice empty patch of grass and took off her shoes, placing them to the side. Diana raised a brow at this.

"Aren't you afraid of stepping on a bee?" Diana chuckled, sitting down in one of her chairs.

Akko looked down and around herself, then shrugged. "If I do, you'll know right away."

Akko began to warm up, stretching her arms above her head. She felt her shirt lift up a little and debated on leaving it on or not. She was likely going to get hot and sweaty depending on how hard she worked out, but this was only going to be ten minutes and Diana was watching her. Perhaps not the best idea considering what had happened the night prior.

Diana watched Akko intently, even if she was only stretching. A moment like this was hard to come by, so Diana made sure not to waste her time looking at something on her phone. After stretching her arms, Akko began doing stretch kicks and Diana took note of how impressively flexible she was. That could perhaps come in handy some time in the future. Akko then got into a horse riding stance and began to punch the air. Diana could hear the snap of Akko's clothing with each forceful strike and see how her entire body shuddered with every punch. She was clearly using full force, though Diana didn't see why she needed to since it was a waste of energy.

Akko then began practicing one of her forms, though she dreaded doing the portion of it that required a back spinning kick. In all her years of training, she could never seem to to get the hang of it. Whenever she tried, she would either do it completely wrong and fall, or get there half way, lose her balance, and fall. She could count on her hand how many times she had successfully completed a true back spinning kick. It was a real shame she wasn't good at it either. Performing a successful back spinning kick to the head in sparring gained the most points. Then again, people even higher of a level than her have had difficulty successfully performing a back spinning kick in sparring and gained the points from doing so. In her defense, it wasn't easy by any means, but she was determined to get it right this time. She had to. She was being watched after all.

She paused when she got to the portion where she needed to perform a back spinning kick. Her former Sensei had told her to not think about it when trying, that it would only make her lose focus and fail. Well, how was she _not_ supposed to think about it? Every move, every punch, every kick required some thought. The only difference was, they all came naturally to her.

She got it halfway, but then she began to think about how fast she was going and lost balance. She fell to the ground with a loud thump; thankfully her hands broke her fall and the grass beneath her was soft.

Diana sat upright and her eyes widened in concern. "Are you alright, Akko?"

Embarrassed, Akko groaned and stood up to try again. "I'm fine."

This time was even worse than the previous try. She didn't even make it half way before losing balance. At this point, Akko was pissed off she didn't even _almost_ get it. Now it was personal. She refused to stop until she got it. Diana cringed as she watched her try and try again with little success. She admired her determination, but at this rate, Akko would wake up with a nasty bruise on her rear and hips in the morning from all the falls.

Diana could see what Akko was doing wrong. It all had to do with her stance. Her feet were way too far apart, likely the cause of why she couldn't even make it half way most of the time. And then the way she was kicking was off as well. Diana knew what a proper back spinning kick looked like after seeing Chariot Du Nord and many others perform it correctly.

"Akko, could you stop for a moment?" Diana asked.

"We'll go back to studying in a second," Akko huffed. "Just let me get this."

Diana checked the time on her phone and saw their ten minutes had long passed, not that she was going to tell Akko who looked so determined to get it right. They had actually been out there for thirty three minutes. Diana hadn't even noticed. Time must go by when you watch a pretty girl practice martial arts.

"I understand. I wasn't telling you we were going to go back to studying. I just... perhaps I could be of assistance," Diana suggested, getting up from her seat to walk over to her.

Akko scoffed. "No offense, Diana, but how could you help? You're not a black belt like me."

Diana's eye twitched in irritation. "Even so, I can see what you're doing wrong. After watching Chariot for many years, I know what a proper back spinning kick looks like, Akko. And honestly, you should know too. You said it yourself, you're a black belt."

Akko pressed her lips together. "Fine."

"Alright, now hold onto my arm," Diana instructed.

"N-nani?" Akko blushed.

Diana rolled her eyes. "Just do it."

Akko hesitantly did so, placing both of her hands on Diana's right forearm. The two stared at each other for a second before Diana cleared her throat, breaking the silence.

"Adjust your stance a little bit. Bring your feet closer," Diana said.

Akko nodded and fixed her stance, coming even closer to Diana. She was so close, Diana could hear her breathing. Too close if she was being honest. Akko could easily see her growing blush.

"N-now try the kick," Diana stuttered, feeling the warmth of Akko's hands.

"Uh, while holding onto you?" Akko asked confused.

"Yes. Obviously don't try to spin around, you'll take me with you," Diana snickered. "Just look behind you and watch how you kick. The reason why I'm having you do this is because you'll get to see how you're kicking and therefore know how it should feel the next time you try it."

Akko turned her head and watched herself kick. She blinked, seeing how perfect the kick was. She tried again. And again. Each time was successful and higher than the last. Diana was... right. _This_ was how it felt whenever she got it right in the past. She wasn't sure why she got it right now all of a sudden. Maybe it was because she was basically using Diana's arm as a crutch, which made it easier since only a small portion of her body weight was being put to use. Yeah. Maybe that was it.

"Good," Diana grinned. "Do you know the feeling now?"

Akko nodded. "Can I try on my own?"

"Go ahead," Diana confirmed, taking several steps back.

Akko inhaled deeply. She made sure her stance wasn't too far apart and tried not to think. She lifted her foot off the ground and hesitated, putting it back down. She quickly glanced behind her at Diana who gave her an encouraging smile. Akko released a sigh and tensed her muscles slightly. She didn't think about it this time. She simply did it. And, she did it correctly.

"You did it! That was great!" Diana beamed.

"It was?" Akko asked.

Diana nodded. "Indeed. It looked like you had done it a million times!"

Akko did it once more just as she did before. Again, she did it correctly.

She smiled and turned to face Diana. "Thank you so much! I think I'm finally getting the hang of this!"

"Of course, Akko," Diana smiled back. "Now I hate to bring this up, but we need to prepare to leave soon. I need to freshen up and change clothing. And um... I suppose you do as well. My aunt will be rather cross with me if I bring my body guard in unprofessional attire."

"Do we even have time to go to Luna Nova so I can change?" Akko asked uneasily.

Diana shook her head. "We do not, unfortunately. However, I do have some old clothes that may fit you. We're going to be going to a formal dinner, so you can't wear something casual like jeans or a t-shirt."

Akko deflated. She had a feeling Diana wanted her to wear a dress. Akko hated wearing dresses. Skirts were tolerable, but even then, she didn't like those much either.

"If I have to wear a dress, can it not be anything to floofy or pink?" Akko grumbled.

Diana smirked. "Who said you were going to be wearing a dress?"

Akko's eyes sparkled. "You mean I'm gonna be wearing a suit?"

"Something of the sort," Diana said innocently. "Let's go back inside to pick something out, shall we?"

Akko grinned and nodded, quickly following behind Diana. She must have not realized how close she was to her, for she accidentally stepped on Diana's shoe from behind. Diana obviously tripped, but didn't fall for Akko caught her just in time. Diana blushed heavily, staring into Akko's crimson eyes. She felt her heat hammering inside her chest as she stared into those beautiful eyes. Akko stared back stupidly, realizing she had actually caught her and had been in that position for a bit too long.

"S-sorry!" Akko squeaked, letting go of Diana.

Diana stumbled a little as she stood upright. "What are you apologizing for?"

"I stepped on your shoe?" Akko asked more than said.

"Oh. Well you made up for it," Diana smiled slightly. "Thank you for not letting me fall."

Akko grinned sheepishly. "Of course."

"Shall we get ready then?" Diana asked.

"Yeah," Akko nodded.

* * *

Akko fidgeted with her collar and checked her sleeves for any scuff marks or stray dust. The suit Diana provided was probably more expensive than anything Akko had ever owned. It was fairly comfortable aside from the tight collar, but she was really more concerned about how it looked on her. Diana had assured her that she looked fine, but this was technically Akko's first day on the job. She wanted to look professional and show Diana that she was taking this seriously.

The car ride to the restaurant was awkwardly quiet and much longer than Akko expected. Diana had a certain expression that Akko couldn't quite read. She looked irritated but also nervous? She wasn't sure what Diana's aunt was like, but she could tell Diana wasn't exactly looking forward to this dinner. She decided it was best to keep quiet in this instance and ask questions later.

Once the driver dropped the two off, Akko gave Diana a reassuring smile before opening the door for them to enter. Diana smiled back at her, but the smile wasn't there for very long. Once inside, Akko couldn't help but gasp. This restaurant was beyond fancy by her standards. The people dining all looked like they were someone important and Akko had never felt more lower class in her life.

"Good evening, Miss. Cavendish," a tall server with slicked back blonde hair greeted Diana.

If someone knew Diana, then she was likely a regular here. Not that Akko was surprised. The heir to Cavendish Medical obviously has enough money to dine at an affluent restaurant like this one fairly often.

"Good evening, Frank," Diana smiled kindly. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well, thank you for asking," Frank beamed. "Of course, overseeing a restaurant has its ups and downs."

Akko then noticed that Frank was wearing a managerial pin and realized he wasn't even a server at all, even if he wore the same attire as the rest of the workers. She was impressed. Diana must have been more than a regular here if she was friends with the manager.

"I could imagine," Diana nodded. "And how about Andrew? How is he faring?"

Frank grinned widely and Akko could swear a tint of pink appeared on his cheeks. "He's doing wonderful. Oxford has been a great experience for him so far."

"That's good to hear," Diana smiled back.

"You know, he still asks why you declined your Oxford scholarship. Surely Luna Nova can't be any better," Frank chuckled.

Akko stared at Diana dumbfounded. "Y-you got a scholarship for Oxford?"

"Indeed," Diana smirked proudly. "However, my mother and many of my relatives attended Luna Nova and I decided to follow in their footsteps."

"And who is this?" Frank asked, looking at Akko.

"This is Miss. Kagari. She is my personal body guard and will be by my side whenever she's needed," Diana explained.

"Nice to meet you, sir," Akko bowed her head in respect.

Frank raised a brow at Diana and smirked. "Interesting that _you'd_ need a body guard."

Akko wondered why Frank said it like that. She looked at Diana who avoided her gaze.

"W-well you know being the heir to one of the most important institutions has its risks and dangers. S-some extra protection never hurts," Diana stuttered.

"I suppose so," Frank mused. "Well, I'll take you to where your aunt is seated."

"Thank you."

They were lead upstairs meant for private venues and Akko saw a woman sitting alone at a table who she assumed to be Diana's Aunt Daryl. Akko felt a chill run down her spine when she looked into the woman's eyes. They were blue like Diana's, but not nearly as kind looking. She could definitely see the family resemblance, especially since the woman had tea-green blonde hair that was tied up in a high pony tail and had those haunting blue eyes. Akko would have been frightened of her too, had she not been wearing light blue lipstick that honestly made her look rather silly.

"Diana, please sit down," Daryl smiled and then scowled at Akko. "And do introduce me to your friend who interestingly enough _wasn't_ invited to dinner."

Diana cleared her throat as she sat down with Akko across from her. "She is actually my body guard."

Daryl raised a brow at her. "I suppose I don't see an issue with that. I hope she's someone you absolutely trust."

"She is," Diana nodded. "I trust her with my life."

Now that was a bit intense for Akko to hear. Hell, she hadn't even known Diana for a whole week and yet she trusted her with her _life?_ Well, she supposed when she saved Diana from Louis, that's when Diana knew she could trust Akko. Or perhaps she said that to convince her aunt that Akko could be trusted even by her. But still, hearing something like that is a bit overwhelming.

"Good. As long as she knows your safety comes before hers," Daryl nodded, taking a sip from her wine.

"That's my job," Akko said skittishly.

Akko felt Diana grab her hand from under the table, giving it a gentle squeeze before letting go. Akko wasn't sure if that was Diana's form of an apology, but what she _did_ know is that it made her heart nearly stop and she was disappointed that Diana let go of her hand.

"I was only planning on paying for the _two_ of us you know, Diana," Daryl pointed out.

"I'll pay for her then. That isn't an issue," Diana stated.

About an hour had passed by before the food arrived at the table, but Diana and Daryl were talking away. They mainly discussed business and political issues; Akko found it quite hard to just sit there and not do or say anything. However, she was determined to remain professional and wait it out.

Once the food actually arrived, Akko praised her ancestors and began to eat. She didn't know very much about table etiquette, but she made sure her napkin was on her lap and tried to use what she thought was the correct fork. She never adjusted to eating with forks rather than chop sticks, so this was rather foreign to her. The food was spectacular though. She ordered the cheapest entrée she could find, which actually still was enough money to buy her dinner for a few days. It was a filet sole with a side of quinoa. Whatever the chefs of the restaurant put in that dish, it made Akko want more when she was done.

"Diana I'd like you to come by the main hospital more often," Daryl spoke up, finishing the last portion of her meal. "I want you to become familiar with the workplace surroundings and meet some of our new staff."

"I can certainly try. As long as it doesn't interfere with my studies," Diana nodded.

"You know Andrew Hanbridge will be working for our company soon, don't you?" Daryl asked.

Diana's eyes widened. "I was not aware of this. It would have been nice if he had told me sooner."

"He's going to be one of the youngest, and in my opinion, most handsome doctors in all of the United Kingdom," Daryl grinned wickedly. "It would be a shame if he _didn't_ work for Cavendish Medical."

"He will be a wonderful addition," Diana agreed.

"A wonderful addition indeed. And perhaps not _just_ for our company," Daryl said suggestively.

Diana raised a brow at her. "What do you mean by that?"

Daryl waved it off. "It's nothing important right this minute of course. When the time comes you'll know."

Diana bit her lip in irritation. She hated it when her aunt did this. She would go and say something where Diana would expect an immediate answer, and then wave it off to tell her later. Diana hated it when anyone did this. If they were going to bring it up, why bother not clarifying anything?

Diana did have a feeling what Daryl was talking about though. Andrew would make a fine addition to Cavendish Medical's staff, but also to the Cavendish _family._ Daryl had been hinting for years that Andrew was the perfect candidate to continue the family line. Either Andrew or Louis Blackwell who had been trying to court Diana for half a decade. Though if Diana were straight and were to have a choice in the matter, which she sort of didn't, she would obviously choose Andrew for a number of reasons. The only _real_ reason why Daryl wanted Diana to marry either man was for monetary purposes only. She could care less about publicity or political status since both men's fathers held a position on the city counsel.

"Very well then," Diana said calmly, not showing her inner frustration.

"Now I hate to leave so soon, but I must," Daryl huffed in frustration, checking the time on her watch. "Don't worry about paying for your... _body guard_. I'll handle that. She was lovely to dine with."

Akko almost scoffed at that. How was she lovely to dine with? Daryl and Diana for that matter, acted like Akko wasn't there for a majority of the meal.

"Uh, thank you?" Akko asked more than said.

Daryl nodded and got up. As did Diana. Akko assumed that Diana would also be leaving, so she got up too, pushing her and Diana's seat in. Daryl respectfully pecked Diana on the cheek before going downstairs. Diana didn't move though. She remained standing, her eyes trailing to Akko.

Once her Aunt was out of sight, Diana unexpectedly threw her arms around Akko. Akko stumbled back slightly from surprise and hesitantly hugged her back.

"U-um, Diana, isn't this a bit unprofessional?" Akko chuckled.

Diana blushed and instantly let go. "You're right, my apologies."

Akko awkwardly shoved her hands in her suit's pockets. "So, did I do good for my first day?"

"You were splendid," Diana grinned.

Akko shrugged. "I guess I was. I didn't really do too much though. I just kind of sat here."

Diana shook her head. "You did more than that. I noticed you often looked around and remained alert when someone entered the room. Becoming familiar with your surroundings was wise in case a situation ensued."

Akko didn't admit it, but she only looked around because there were fancy pictures on the wall and tried to cure her boredom; and their cute waiter was usually the one to enter the room, so Akko tried not to make it obvious that she was checking him out. She wasn't doing those things Diana mentioned. Though she made a mental note to remember to do that in the future.

"Surprised you noticed that," Akko smiled. "I'm trying to take this job seriously, so I didn't talk much either. I didn't think body guards would have much to say."

"I appreciate that," Diana sighed. "Aunt Daryl likes you, so that's good I suppose."

Akko wrinkled her nose in confusion. "She _does?"_

Diana nodded. "If she disliked you, she would have mentioned something bad about the way you looked or simply outright say it."

"Blunt woman," Akko murmured.

Diana smiled weakly. "You have no idea."

"I have a question," Akko said suddenly.

"Ask away."

"Who is this Andrew guy?" Akko asked. "Is he cute?"

"I would say he is rather handsome, yes," Diana nodded.

Akko grinned. "I can't wait to meet him then."

Diana giggled. "Wrong tree, Akko."

Akko tilted her head. "Huh?"

"Never mind," Diana shook her head. "Shall we get going? I'm sure you'd like to get back to your dorm."

"Yes please," Akko groaned happily.

"I can assume there won't be any studying going on when you get back?" Diana smirked.

"You've assumed correctly," Akko nodded. "Oh and uh, what about the suit?"

"Keep it," Diana smiled. "You'll be needing it in the future."

Akko gawked at her. "A-are you sure? I know this is really expensive!"

"Then you'll be sure to take good care of it."

The moment Akko stepped foot in her dorm, she released a long sigh. It had felt like years had passed since the last time she was in her dorm, even though it had only been a day. Sucy and Lotte weren't there surprisingly, neither was Amanda. Akko had the entire dorm to herself and she wasn't sure how long it would remain that way. She knew she had free reign over any of the TV channels or could spend as much time as she wanted in the shower, but the only thing on her mind really was getting to bed.

Perhaps going to sleep was for the best as well. If someone saw her up and about, they'd no doubt ask her about how her events with Diana went the night prior and where she was all day. Akko didn't have the patience or the energy to do so. After stripping from her suit and hanging it up in her closet, she headed straight to bed. She didn't even bother putting on night clothes.

Just as she was about to shut her eyes, a thought occurred to her. She had no idea why her mind was reminding her of this right now, but her thoughts wouldn't shut up. She liked Diana Cavendish, she liked a _girl._ She works for the woman she's completely attracted to and almost kissed last night.

And why the memories of the night before were suddenly flooding back to her now totally eluded her as well. She remembered Diana's lips that were centimeters away from meeting hers last night... and she regretted that they never touched. She wanted it to happen again, but in a different circumstance. The point in the matter was, she was thinking about kissing Diana and _she liked the thought of it._

"Well damn," Akko chuckled darkly. "Amanda was right. I'm _not_ straight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jasminka Antonenko | 19 | 5'5" | Russian | Martial art(s): Boxing [though not associated with Luna Nova’s Martial Arts Club]


	7. Practice makes perfect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update: As of right now, this fic is currently on hiatus. I'm not sure when I'll be revisiting this, just know it won't be any time soon. Lack of motivation, inspiration, on top of college work and other fanfics I'm writing is the cause for the hiatus. I am deeply sorry for any of you truly involved in this story.

Almost a month had passed since Akko became Diana's personal body guard and if she was being honest, she enjoyed it a lot. Though admittedly, she didn't do very much aside from stand next to Diana while she consulted one of the business partners to Cavendish Medical, or stood guard outside of a meeting room whenever Diana was discussing financial things among the main hospital's board members. That part of the job was quite boring in her opinion, but it was bearable. Since this was her first job, she stayed off of her phone so she could focus on her surroundings, making sure there weren't any threats. And that was a bit challenging at first.

But then there were times when she got to hear all of the gossip from either the nurses she soon became friends or well, coworkers with? Diana also had her fair share of gossiping in the form of ranting typically about a stupid decision her Aunt or one of her cousins made and that part Akko enjoyed a lot. However, what _really_ made this job worth it in her eyes wasn't the pay or the thrilling gossip or the Cavendish family drama. No, it was that she was around Diana practically all of the time. Even though the two hardly got any down time to actually chat and get to know each other, just being around Diana was enough.

Akko had begun to notice several things about Diana. For instance, Diana had several quirks about her Akko had no idea she would have discovered; some of which were actually kind of cute. Whenever Diana was thinking, she would either mutter something quietly to herself or tap her foot lightly in concentration. In a stressful situation, Diana would bite her nails; that actually answered the question as to why Diana had such short nails rather than long acrylics like she had once expected. Whenever Diana was nervous, typically whenever talking to Akko alone for some reason, she would mess with her hair or grip the hem of her shirt. Akko didn't really understand that quirk all too well, but it made her like Diana even more.

That was the one downside to the job: liking Diana. Akko had thought about that on several occasions, actually. There were more times than she could count when Diana was sitting at her desk while nibbling on the end of her pen just concentrating, and Akko's intrusive thoughts told her to swipe the papers off the desk and just make out with the woman. Of course she never had the gall to actually do such a thing, but it would always remain a fantasy of hers. She knew that even _if_ Diana ever showed interest in her, a relationship could never develop out of it. An employee dating their employer never turned out well and almost always ended in disaster. Oh well. Diana wasn't showing any interest in her that she knew of anyway, so those thoughts could be shut away like many of her other thoughts eating at her every day. Many of those thoughts had to do with pining Diana to a wall and-

"Dude, are you good?" Amanda asked, snapping a finger in front of Akko. "You kinda zoned out for a sec."

Akko blinked at her, nearly forgetting that she was at the entrance of the dojo with Amanda, Lotte, and Sucy. Akko's grades had also significantly been brought up since working with Diana, but sadly not to the point to where she could resume her position at the Martial Arts Club. As of recently, Croix allowed Akko to train with a few select students in the early morning or later evening on the days of practice. It _technically_ was allowed and someone needed to spar with Akko or go over the Club's schedule. Akko was just thankful she didn't need to train alone anymore. Sure it took extra time out of her friend's day, but it didn't bother them. Well, aside from the occasional complaint from Amanda that it was too early to be doing anything other than sleep.

"Y-yeah, just a lot on my mind," Akko nodded, finally unlocking the building so they could go inside.

"I could imagine," Amanda snorted. "Working for _Cavenwitch_ must get overwhelming sometimes, huh?"

Akko frowned, though overwhelming was definitely a good word to describe it. Just not the way it was in Amanda's mind probably. "It's not as bad as you think. She hardly ever talks to me on the job. The only time we ever get to really talk is on lunch break or well... bathroom breaks."

Sucy snickered. "You have to escort her to the bathroom? What, do you stand guard outside of a stall while she takes a piss?"

"Gross, Sucy," Lotte grimaced. "But also kind of gross if you have to do that too, Akko."

"N-no, that's not what I meant," Akko blushed. "Bathroom breaks include basically being able to stretch or get water or check a text message. We don't really even use the bathroom during bathroom breaks. We just... talk."

"Cute," Amanda smirked.

Lotte wrinkled her nose in confusion. "How is that cute?"

"I dunno," Amanda shrugged, taking off her windbreaker and tossing it on one of the recreational benches. "Just kinda cute how they use their breaks to talk to each other like they're forbidden lovers or something. If I were in Akko's position, I'd actually use the bathroom breaks to _use_ the bathroom."

"Or text Hannah," Akko teased.

"S-shut up," Amanda blushed.

"Speaking of Hannah, did you _finally_ ask her out yet?" Lotte asked. "Sucy and I are keeping a tally of how many days go by without either of you asking since you first started talking. Fifty two days is a long time you know-"

"Okay, okay, I get it," Amanda raised her hands up in defense. "Look, I'm just waiting for _her_ to make the first move. I know she has a preference for guys, so I don't wanna seem pushy or desperate."

Sucy rolled her eyes. "At that rate, neither of you are gonna confess at all and both of you will move on to different people. Or one of you will be stuck liking the other while painfully watching as one of you get into a relationship."

"I don't want to rush this at all and... Hannah's just special, okay? I've never liked anyone as much as I like her," Amanda growled.

"I've heard that before," Akko said under her breath, but apparently she wasn't quiet enough.

"I'm serious!" Amanda cried.

"I never said you weren't, just... well, usually when you like a girl _this_ much, you just totally wanna sleep with her," Akko commented.

"It's different this time, I swear! I haven't even thought about having sex with her! I mean, I might have a couple times, but the point is, it isn't my top priority like it usually is," Amanda explained.

"Just saying," Akko shrugged.

"Yeah, but you didn't need to say it like _that._ It hurt you know," Amanda muttered.

Akko shrugged again. "Truth hurts."

"Yeesh, will you two old ladies quit bickering so we can actually get to what we came here to do in the first place?" Sucy hissed.

"Whatever," Amanda grumbled. "Akko, you're sparring with me first later."

"What, so you can kick my ass as a punishment?" Akko scoffed.

Amanda smirked at her and licked her lips, looking the Japanese woman up and down. "Partially, but a _real_ punishment in my eyes is something far too adult for your innocent little mind to handle."

Akko blushed furiously. "J-just go warm up."

"Yes ma'am," Amanda grinned innocently, placing her hands behind her head and walked to the opposite side of the dojo.

"You know you can always say something if what she says bothers you," Lotte pointed out.

It actually never bothered Akko whenever Amanda playfully flirted with her or anything. Their friendship was just like that and she hated to admit she enjoyed that kind of attention, even if it was from her best friend and not a lover. It only started to get to her whenever she imagined Diana saying the things Amanda said. She also secretly kept some of Amanda's pick up lines stored in the back of her mind in case they ever came in handy one day which probably was unlikely, but she never knew.

"It doesn't bother me really," Akko assured her. "She just likes being an ass to me sometimes."

"Guilty as charged," came the response from the stretching American across the room.

Sucy and Lotte began to stretch with each other while Akko set up some punching bags for the four of them to use later. After setting up, she began stretching herself. As she stretched her legs, she remembered the time Diana helped her learn her back spinning kicks. The sudden realization hit that she could actually do back spinning kicks now, even if she knew that already and had in fact been practicing for weeks. However since she had the opportunity to spar with someone today, this would be her opportunity to try to gain a strike to the head successfully for the first time. If she could do it successfully more than once, well, she may actually have a chance at winning a trophy for sparring at the Winter Tournament.

"Are we going to kick targets first or work on techniques before sparring?" Sucy asked Akko.

Akko finished her leg stretches before responding. "Hm, I'm pretty sure we all know our techniques by now. At least I hope so. I actually think we should do weapons training instead since we'll need to save some of our energy for sparring."

"Sounds good to me," Amanda nodded in agreement. "But uh, what are we training with today? I don't think Croix wants us using bo staffs without her super vision."

"That's fine. You and I can work on eskrima training while Lotte and Sucy work on their nunchaku training," Akko explained.

"Not that we need it. We both won first place in the last tournament," Sucy rolled her eyes.

"But, practice does make perfect," Lotte added with a smile.

A ghost of a smile appeared on Sucy's face as she grabbed a pair of nun chucks for Lotte and herself. "If you say so."

"Speaking of tournaments, do you think your grades will be okay before our tournament at Appleton in a couple weeks, Akko?" Lotte asked.

Akko wasn't certain of that, but she was fairly confident she would be. Diana's tutoring certainly did help boost her grades by a significant amount. She just needed to complete a few more missing assignments and retake a couple more tests before her grades were fully repaired to the point to where she could resume her place in the Martial Art's Club.

"I think so," Akko nodded. "This is partially why I'm having you guys practice with me so often now. I know several of our members won't be able to attend that tournament."

"They should though. They won't have any idea what the Winter Tournament will be like if they don't even know what a _college_ tournament is like," Sucy added.

"Agreed," Akko nodded. "I'll be sure to have a meeting the week of. For now though, it's time to train."

Akko first put on her helmet before handing Amanda a foam eskrima stick and a helmet of her own. Akko was almost always on offense when training with Amanda or anyone really, but she needed to work of her defense. Offense was always easier to her considering she didn't need to react or think about how she was going to defend herself from getting wacked by a stick (even if during practice the eskrima was always made of foam and didn't really hurt when hit). With offense, she just had to try and think of an unexpected place to strike and hope her opponent didn't pay attention.

"I'm doing defense only this time," Akko instructed her partner. "We'll go to five points though, not ten."

"Fine by me," Amanda smirked.

"Three... two... one... start!" Akko shouted and the practice match began.

Amanda immediately went for Akko's upper left thigh and Akko was able to block her, but just barely. She wasn't able to block Amanda when she quickly hit her right arm.

The red head smirked. "That's one."

Akko huffed in annoyance and looked at Amanda's stance. After sparring and training with her friend for a good year, she noticed one fatal flaw about Amanda whenever they trained together. Before landing a kick or a hit, Amanda would lightly lift her foot and tap the ground to propel herself forward of sorts. Akko was fairly certain she was the only one who noticed this since Amanda was very subtle about it, but it was enough for Akko to have time to figure out when Amanda was going to strike so she could block her.

"Do you think it's possible to have a crush on a girl but still be straight?" Akko asked as Amanda tried to land another hit, but failed.

Amanda looked confused. "Dude, that's literally the definition of _not_ being straight, what are you talking about?"

Akko shrugged as she blocked another hit. "I uh... have a friend who said she likes this girl but swears she's straight."

"That sounds like being in denial if you ask me," Amanda said quickly, then grinned as she landed a hit on Akko's right leg. "Who's the friend though? I'd love to give her a taste of how great being with girls can be."

"I don't know how I should interpret that," Akko grimaced, blocking yet another hit.

"Maybe it's best if you don't," Amanda laughed. "Okay, but why do I feel like this friend you're talking about is _you?"_

"I-I don't know why you thought that," Akko blushed and frowned once Amanda landed a hit.

Amanda rolled her eyes and landed a hit on her shoulder this time. "You were the one who randomly brought it up, so I just kind of assumed you were indirectly talking about yourself."

"Well, what if hypothetically and I mean _totally_ hypothetically... I did like a girl?" Akko asked barely loud enough for Amanda to hear.

Amanda raised her arm to try to land another strike but stopped mid air once she heard that. She blinked at her partner in disbelief.

"I totally called it," Amanda deadpanned, landing a hit on top of Akko's head. "Also, that's the match."

Akko frowned and removed her helmet. "I said hypothetically!"

Amanda scoffed. "Yeah, no one's ever being hypothetical when they say they are. So now you gotta spill. Who's the girl you like?"

"Promise no teasing?" Akko challenged her quietly.

"Of course not," Amanda assured her. "Unless it's _me_ you have a crush on, then I might have a few remarks to say about it."

Akko looked over her shoulder to see that Sucy and Lotte were in no way paying any attention to her conversation with Amanda and she sighed with relief. She knew she would tell her two roommates eventually; both of them would be accepting about it, maybe except for Sucy who may tease her a bit on it. She just wasn't ready to tell more than one person.

"It's D-Diana," she whispered.

Amanda choked back a laugh. "No, you're kidding. You're not serious, are you?"

Akko's eyebrow twitched slightly in annoyance. "Why would I joke about this when I've never shown interest in girls before?"

"Okay, fair point," Amanda nodded. "Seriously though, that's hilarious, Akko."

Akko blushed even more. "No it's not! She's really pretty and smart and passionate about her work and-"

"She's gay too, so at least you have that in your favor," Amanda interrupted.

"I don't know about that, actually," Akko frowned. "I've heard her aunt talk about her marrying this guy named Andrew Hanbridge once she's out of college and she never says anything about it."

"Gosh you're dense as a brick sometimes," Amanda pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I know who Hanbridge is. He's the son of the Governor of the Bank of England. It's obviously gonna be an arranged marriage. They're very common in wealthy family's even nowadays."

"I'm surprised you knew that," Akko admitted.

"Well, my background wasn't exactly poor, so my parents have connections with people," Amanda said through gritted teeth.

"Oh," Akko murmured.

Akko knew Amanda hated talking about her family and her background. Only a handful of people knew Amanda actually came from one of the wealthiest families in America, but it wasn't like Amanda flaunted her status around. She honestly wished she came from a middle class background over an upper class one. Whenever someone found out she came from money, they always treated her differently. They always treated her as their superior and tried to do her favors in hope of gaining something out of it.

She couldn't stand it when people did that and had no idea how other wealthy people she knew dealt with it or sometimes to an extent _enjoyed_ that kind of treatment. It honestly sickened her. That's why she like Hannah so much. Even if Hannah was loaded herself, she never asked Amanda about her background or even make Amanda pay for anything that wasn't something she was buying for herself. Hannah understood how Amanda felt and treated her like she was anyone else.

"Even so, I can guarantee you Hanbridge is gay too," Amanda snickered. "Man isn't that a trip? A lesbian and a gay guy having to marry each other?"

"That's not gonna happen," Akko shook her head.

"You're right, because you're gonna marry Diana before Andrew does," Amanda laughed.

"Fuck, Amanda, I only said I have a crush on her!" Akko whisper-shouted, still being conscious of Sucy and Lotte.

"Chill dude, it was just a joke," Amanda chuckled.

Even if it was a joke, a very vivid image of Diana and herself in wedding attire standing at the alter flashed in Akko's mind. This was the first time she ever thought about it and she couldn't deny that it was a beautiful thought. Nonetheless, it made her heart flutter and she had a bad feeling she would have a dream about it later that night all thanks to Amanda.

"Whatever," Akko grumbled. "We'll talk about this later. For now, let's move on to sparring."

Amanda cracked her knuckles and smirked. "You're still sparring with me first, Kagari."

"If that's what you want," Akko shrugged, knowing she actually had a high chance winning a match this time. "Even if this is practice, I'm not gonna go easy on you and I expect you not to hold back."

"Not in my nature," Amanda scoffed arrogantly.

Akko always felt silly whenever she wore her sparring gear. The arm pads and leg guards would always cause her to sweat way more than she was used to and the groin guard was just downright uncomfortable. She honestly would much rather prefer to only wear the chest guard, helmet, and mouth guard over having to wear practically an entire suit of armor. However, she knew the rules and had to be an example to the other members at all times even if she herself couldn't stand the gear she wore. Amanda hated the gear too, but for completely different reasons. She hated wearing the helmet because it always messed up her _perfect_ short hair and the leg guards were basically shock absorbers which meant that even if she kicked as hard as she could, it wouldn't have felt like she did it at her full potential.

Lotte would be the referee for this match, though technically Sucy could call out something too if Lotte missed it.

"Alright, ladies, we're about to start," Lotte said shyly. "Five..."

"Relax a bit, Akko," Amanda grinned.

"Four..."

Akko scoffed. "I'm fine."

"Three..."

"Thinking about that crush of yours?" Amanda snickered.

"Two..."

"Hush, we're about to start," Akko shushed her, feeling her face heat up.

"One..."

Amanda nodded. "Whatever you say."

"Start!"

Amanda immediately started with a back kick, swiftly striking Akko in the center of her chest. Lotte didn't announce the point, but she wrote it down. Akko huffed in annoyance, mainly because she _was_ thinking about that crush of hers. Now wasn't the time to think about Diana though. She needed to focus on how she was going to successfully perform a back spinning kick and actually hit Amanda.

Amanda seemed to dance around the small arena they had and she smirked, taunting her. Akko smirked right back and bluffed a kick, causing Amanda to slide back in surprise. Just as she did, Akko actually kicked this time with a perfect roundhouse, striking Amanda on her stomach.

"Wasn't expecting the bluff," Amanda admitted.

Akko didn't say anything, but performed a tornado kick and landed another hit on Amanda. The red-head was no longer smirking, but was wearing a determined expression. Amanda then bluffed a kick like Akko did, but Akko knew not to doge it and instead counter it with a sliding roundhouse kick.

Rather irritated now, the American performed a a strong tornado kick, striking Akko's torso and sending her back a couple feet. Since Amanda's legs were so long, it was difficult for Akko to counter one of those kicks. She needed to work on countering those kind of kicks. Side kicks were also hard to avoid, but it was easier.

"One minute left," Lotte announced.

The two partners locked eyes together and both knew this last minute had to count. Amanda quickly performed a high roundhouse kick to Akko's head. Akko knew there were probably thirty seconds or so left, so now was her chance. In one swift movement, she did a back spinning kick, striking Amanda's head. Amanda certainly wasn't expecting it and even stumbled a bit from it.

"Holy shit, dude," Amanda said wide eyed.

"Language," Lotte frowned.

"Oh fuck my bad," Amanda snorted. "But seriously, I think that was the first time I've seen you do that in a sparring match, Akko."

"That's because it was," Akko admitted.

"You know you two would make Luna Nova look bad if you just kept talking during a sparring match," Sucy pointed out from the side lines.

"Not that it matters now," Lotte commented. "The match is over."

"So who won?" Akko asked

Amanda rolled her eyes. "You, obviously. Right Lotte?"

Lotte checked her notes. "Well... yeah. She won by like four points. That last kick is what did it."

"Yes!" Akko grinned, punching the air.

"Good job, shorty," Amanda congratulated her.

"Thanks. Good match too," Akko panted before respectfully bowing.

Amanda bowed in response and then headed to the bench to take off her gear. Akko was close behind her.

"Can you guys give me a minute to catch my breath? I'll be a ref, just gimme a minute," Amanda huffed.

"Of course," Lotte nodded. "Get some water too."

After Lotte and Sucy's match, everyone decided it was time to finish things up for the day. It was already dark out and none of them had any food yet. With cool down stretches out of the way, Lotte and Sucy decided to leave Akko and Amanda at the dojo to lock up so they could return to the dorms.

Once finished sweeping and locking up, Akko met Amanda outside. Amanda was leaning against a light post, her eyes glued to her phone. She noticed Akko and then almost guiltily shoved her phone in her pocket. The two then started walking towards their dorms.

"I don't even need to see your phone to know that was Hannah you were texting," Akko teased.

"Actually, you're wrong about that one," Amanda smirked. "I was just texting Diana."

Akko felt her heart skip a beat when she heard that name. "I didn't know you had her number."

Amanda shrugged. "I snagged it off of your phone."

"Wait... how do you know my pass-code?" Akko asked dumbfounded.

"Seriously, Akko, _one two three four_ isn't a good enough pass-code," Amanda glared at her.

Akko casually placed a hand in her pocket. "So, what were you texting her about?"

"Oh nothing much. Just asking some things about Hannah," Amanda responded coolly. "And also invited her to come to some of our practices."

"Oh okay- wait, what?" Akko shrieked. "No, don't do that!"

"Why not? Don't you wanna impress her?" Amanda scoffed.

"It doesn't matter if she doesn't like me _that_ way," Akko said shyly. "Besides, I don't want her to like me like that anyway."

Amanda stopped walking. "And why the fuck not?"

"Well, I work for her. Isn't that a little weird?" Akko frowned.

"Unprofessional sure," Amanda nodded. "But a workplace romance is kinda hot not gonna lie."

A workplace romance certainly was hot in Akko's mind, but there was no way she wanted one if it was her _first_ real job it involved. 

"That's the point. I don't want to be unprofessional. This is my first actual job," Akko explained.

Amanda stared at her as if she just said something dumb, but resumed walking. "Exactly, this is your first job. Now is the time to make mistakes, learn from them, and have a little fun exploring what you like. If _Diana's_ what you're exploring, then that's-"

"Okay, not gonna go there," Akko interrupted, blushing heavily.

"Just saying," Amanda laughed.

"I just wish I knew if she was interested in me a little bit," Akko admitted quietly.

Amanda wrinkled her nose in confusion. "Now you see, that's a bit contradictory. I thought you just said you wanted things to be professional."

"And I do! I just... ugh," Akko groaned.

"I get it," Amanda sighed. "I'm just grateful I'm not in your situation."

"I wish I was in yours," Akko grumbled.

"Hey, being a lesbian isn't as easy as you think. Girls are complicated... and scary," Amanda muttered. "Especially if the girl you like has almost zero flaws, understands you, and is the most gorgeous person you've ever met."

"Tell me about it," Akko huffed.

Amanda scoffed. "I could name a bunch of flaws about Diana, Akko."

"Wanna bet?" Akko smirked.

"I'd never bet you, you're broke. Well maybe not now since you work for one of the richest people in the country but... if I can name five flaws right off the bat, you owe me dinner," Amanda challenged.

"Go for it," Akko accepted the challenge.

Amanda still didn't know Diana very well personally, but hanging around Hannah so much had its advantages. Since Hannah was one of Diana's best friends, she obviously talked about her. The only issue was, there were a couple things about Diana she knew about and was sworn to secrecy from Hannah.

"Okay, one, she acts like she has a giant stick up her ass," Amanda deadpanned.

Akko thought for a moment. "She's much better once you get to know her, but fair. I'll count that."

Amanda nodded. "Two, she's a virgin. Don't ask how I know that."

"Oh great, so being a virgin is a flaw?" Akko scoffed.

"Well... in my book it kind of is, but I guess I won't count it then," Amanda grimaced. "So two, she's a total teachers pet."

That one was a fair point. Akko never really liked how much Diana kissed their professor's asses.

"I'll give you that one," Akko responded flatly.

Amanda thought for another moment. "Okay, just because I can't think of anything else right now doesn't mean anything."

"I do recall you telling me if you named five flaws that I owed you dinner, but since you couldn't, doesn't that mean you owe me dinner instead?" Akko smiled victoriously.

Amanda sighed. "Alright, whatever. Just don't expect anything too fancy. And we're ordering through Door Dash, I'm too tired to go out."

"I guess this means you'll be at my place again?" Akko asked.

"If you're cool with it," Amanda shrugged.

"Always," Akko grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Croix Meridies | 39 | 5'10 | Italian | Martial art(s): Taekwondo, 5th degree black belt; Karate, 6th degree black belt


End file.
